Tacoma Council Revisits Landlord Fairness Code Amid Legal Battles
Tacoma City Council is reviewing possible changes to the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative, a voter-approved policy aimed at stabilizing the rental market. The move follows ongoing legal challenges and concerns about housing shortages for larger families. A lawsuit filed by the Citizen Action Defense Fund (CADF) in 2024 remains unresolved in Pierce County Superior Court.
The current Landlord Fairness Code requires landlords to issue two separate notices before raising rents and limits late fees to $10. Among the proposed amendments, the council is considering a switch to a single 120-day notice for rent increases. Another change would raise the late fee cap to 1.5% of monthly rent, with a maximum of $75.
The council is also looking at reducing the eviction moratorium during the cold season from five months to three. These discussions come as small landlords report difficulties in accommodating larger families due to a lack of multi-bedroom apartments. Tacoma currently has 5,696 low-income housing tax-credit units, with nearly 2,000 managed by the Tacoma Housing Authority.
CADF Executive Director Jackson Maynard stated that the organisation is not surprised by the council’s review of the initiative. The group plans to assess its legal strategy based on the council’s final decisions and may adjust its arguments accordingly.
The council will continue deliberating the proposed changes next month.
The outcome of these discussions could reshape rental policies in Tacoma, affecting both landlords and tenants. If approved, the amendments would alter how rent increases and late fees are handled, while also shortening the winter eviction moratorium. The pending CADF lawsuit adds further uncertainty to the future of the Landlord Fairness Code.
