{"id":93,"date":"2018-11-23T11:05:33","date_gmt":"2018-11-23T19:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/?page_id=93"},"modified":"2026-03-10T11:58:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T18:58:10","slug":"new-tacoma-rental-housing-code","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/new-tacoma-rental-housing-code\/","title":{"rendered":"2019: New Tacoma Rental Housing Code"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"has-background has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color\"><strong>T<\/strong><b>he Rental Housing Code Information Packets Now Available<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The City of Tacoma\u2019s Tenant Information Packets are now available for download.&nbsp;&nbsp;The packet includes:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Summaries of TMC 1.95, RCW 59.18, TMC 1.29 and TMC 2.01, which \nmust be distributed to all current tenants within thirty (30) days of \nFebruary 1, 2019, when the code went into effect.<\/li><li>Resource pages landlords are required to give to tenants with any notice under RCW 59.12 and TMC 1.95.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background has-medium-font-size has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color\"><a href=\"http:\/\/cms.cityoftacoma.org\/OEHR\/rentalhousing\/TenantInformationPacket.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Download the Tenant Information Packet<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>El Ayuntamiento de Tacoma aprueba el C\u00f3digo de Vivienda de Alquiler<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On November 20, 2018, the Tacoma City Council passed the Rental \nHousing Code providing protections for tenants and specific guidance to \nlandlords who operate residential rental businesses in Tacoma. The \nRental Housing Code also includes a provision for housing relocation \nassistance to qualifying tenants and allows the City to investigate \ncomplaints and enforce the code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Requirements for Landlords:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>120-day notice to vacate and relocation assistance for \nlow-income tenants when a landlord intends to change the use, \nsubstantially rehabilitate, or demolish a dwelling unit&nbsp;<\/li><li>60-day notice to vacate for no-cause termination of tenancy&nbsp;<\/li><li>60-day notice requirement for rent increases<\/li><li>A requirement that landlords distribute information about tenant rights as well as landlord and tenant responsibilities&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Tenant Protections:&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Prohibits retaliation against tenants for exercising their \nrights under the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW \n59.18, RLTA)&nbsp;<\/li><li>Allows installment payments for various deposits and fees&nbsp;<\/li><li>Codification of relocation assistance when the City declares a building uninhabitable&nbsp;<\/li><li>Provides relocation assistance for qualifying termination of tenancy of low-income tenants&nbsp;<\/li><li>Allows tenants to file a complaint and for the City of Tacoma to investigate and enforce the code<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does this Ordinance&nbsp;Apply to&nbsp;Me?&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you own, operate or rent&nbsp;residential rental property within the Tacoma city limits, the Rental Housing Code applies to you.&nbsp; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.govme.org\/Common\/MyTacoma\/MyTacoma.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Verify if your rental property is within the Tacoma city limits<\/a>.<br>\n<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We Want to Hear from You<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to track the impact of the Rental Housing Code, we are \nasking housing&nbsp;providers to come online and take our survey. The link to\n our survey will be posted here when it is available. Thank you in \nadvance for your participation.<br>\n<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the Rental Housing Code?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>On\n November 20, 2018, the Tacoma City Council passed the Rental Housing \nCode (TMC 1.95).&nbsp; The Rental Housing Code (RHC) provides protections for\n tenants and provides specific guidance to landlords who own or operate \nresidential rental property in Tacoma, and includes a provision for \nrelocation assistance to low-income tenants who are displaced under \ncertain circumstances.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br>\n<br>\nThe Rental Housing Code permanently replaces the City\u2019s temporary Ordinance 25508 which will sunset on January 31, 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why did the City pass the Rental Housing Code?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The\n City of Tacoma recognizes that the rental market in Tacoma is \ndrastically changing. In an effort to gain and sustain housing stability\n and to protect the most vulnerable populations, the City, working in \ncollaboration with stakeholder groups that included housing providers, \ntenants, realtors, and legal representatives, established Tacoma \nMunicipal Code 1.95.\n        \n    \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n    \n        <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does the Rental Housing Code replace the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18)?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The\n Rental Housing Code does not replace the Washington State Residential \nLandlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18, RLTA).&nbsp; However, it does expand certain \nprotections under the RLTA and allows the City of Tacoma to regulate and\n enforce on violations.\n        \n    \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n    \n        <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is required in the Rental Housing Code?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Rental Housing Code includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>120-day notice to vacate and relocation assistance for \nlow-income tenants authorized by RCW 59.18.440, when a landlord intends \nto change the use, substantially rehabilitate, or demolish a swelling \nunit<\/li><li>60-day notice to vacate for no-cause eviction<\/li><li>60-day notice requirement rent increases<\/li><li>A requirement that landlords distribute certain information<\/li><li>Prohibits retaliation against tenants for exercising their rights<\/li><li>Allows installment payments for various deposits and fees<\/li><li>Codification of relocation assistance when the City declares a building uninhabitable<\/li><li>Provides authority to enforce violations.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When will the permanent Rental Housing Ordinance become effective?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The new ordinance will be fully in effect February 1, 2019.<br><br>\nThe &#8220;Notice to increase rent&#8221; portion of the ordinance is effective December 7, 2018.\n        \n    \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n    \n        <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does Rental Housing Code apply to me?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The\n Rental Housing Code applies to anyone who owns, operates or rents \nresidential rental property within the city of Tacoma limits.\n        \n    \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cont\u00e1ctenos<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer Support Center<br>\n747 Market Street<br>\nTacoma, WA 98402<br>\n<a href=\"tel:311\">311 <\/a>or <a href=\"tel:12535915000\">(253) 591-5000<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helpful Links<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/cms.cityoftacoma.org\/CBCFiles\/RentalHousingCode\/ORD18_1330amend.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ordinance No. 28559<\/a><br>\n<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/cms.cityoftacoma.org\/CBCFiles\/RentalHousingCode\/rentalhousingcodeflyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rental Housing Code Flyer<\/a><br>\n<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/apps.leg.wa.gov\/rcw\/default.aspx?cite=59.18\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Washington State Residential Landlord Tenant Act<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Rental Housing Code Information Packets Now Available The City of Tacoma\u2019s Tenant Information Packets are now available for download.&nbsp;&nbsp;The packet includes:&nbsp; Summaries of TMC 1.95, RCW 59.18, TMC 1.29 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1061,"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions\/1061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tacomatenants.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}