Tacoma leaders last week approved changes to local renter protections that will make it easier for some low-income housing providers to evict tenants.
On Dec. 9, the Tacoma City Council voted 7 to 2 in favor of amending the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative to lift eviction restrictions for public and nonprofit landlords, as well as certain private landlords.
This decision sparked intense debate across Tacoma. Tenant advocates have argued that officials rushed to roll back these protections, while low-income housing providers claim they need more freedom to remove problem tenants.
Tacoma District 2 City Councilmember Sarah Rumbaugh led the effort to change the tenant protections. She told the audience gathered at the council meeting that these changes are needed to help preserve affordable housing in Tacoma.
“Families and children rely on the stability of our low-income housing providers. Not just the current housing, but also low-income housing developers' ability to finance and build more housing,” she said. “Tacoma cannot afford to slow down and dawdle on fixing this policy, access to housing is at stake.”
Since Tacoma’s Landlord Fairness Code was established in 2023, landlords have been barred from evicting tenants during cold-weather months. If the household includes a child, they’re also prohibited from evictions during the school year. Market-rate and low-income housing providers across the city have reported that more tenants have stopped paying rent since these eviction prohibitions were enacted.
The council approved a number of changes to the tenant protections. Those included exempting the Tacoma Housing Authority and non-profit affordable housing providers from the Landlord Fairness Code — specifically, groups that own deed-restricted affordable housing.
Officials also reduced the cold-weather eviction ban by a month for private landlords. It will now be in effect from Nov. 15 to March 15. Market-rate landlords that operate four or fewer rental units are now exempt from the cold-weather eviction ban as well.
Affordable housing providers in particular have said these changes are needed to help them maintain their operations and build more housing in the future. During last week's meeting, Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium Executive Director Amanda DeShazo described challenges caused by tenants who refuse to pay rent.
According to DeShazo, Tacoma’s eight largest low-income housing providers have lost over $2.5 million in unpaid rent and damages tied to the Landlord Fairness Code.
“That's $2.5 million diverted away from the maintenance staffing, safety and the supportive services that keep tenants stably housed, as well with the development of more housing,” she said.
Ahead of the Dec. 9 meeting, tenant advocates rallied against proposed changes to the Landlord Fairness Code. Protesters set up tents outside Tacoma’s city hall to highlight how making it easier to evict tenants could lead to more people becoming homeless.
Leaders of the group Tacoma For All celebrated that the council’s changes to the renter protections were not as extensive as they had previously feared. The advocacy group originally led the effort to create the Landlord Fairness Code. Earlier proposals included placing an income cap on the cold-weather eviction prohibition. However, some advocates still worry that limiting safeguards will have negative consequences for local renters.
“A month ago, what was on the table was far worse than the proposed amendments before you tonight,” Tacoma For All Chair Ann Dorn told the council. “Even with these improvements, this vote still represents a loss for tenants. We are facing the erosion of tenant rights, and that will hurt vulnerable renters across Tacoma.”
The council’s changes to Tacoma’s Landlord Fairness Code will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
