Under the eviction moratorium, landlords/property managers of residential property cannot: 

• Serve or threaten to serve notices to terminate tenancy, unless there is an immediate risk to the health, safety or property of others; or the owner is going to occupy or sell the property.
• Seek or enforce, or threaten to seek or enforce, judicial eviction orders, unless there is an immediate risk to the health, safety or property of others; or the owner is going to occupy or sell the property.
• Charge or threaten to charge late fees for unpaid or late rent from February 29, 2020 through the moratorium.
• Increase or threaten to increase rent during the duration of the moratorium.
• Retaliate against tenants for exercising their rights under the moratorium.
• Treat unpaid rent as collectable debt (can’t send to collections, attempt to collect or threaten to collect, report to credit bureaus or start the eviction process), unless tenant refuses or defaults on a reasonable repayment plan that meets the tenant’s financial health and other circumstances of the individual.

Under the eviction moratorium, law enforcement cannot:

• Serve or threaten to serve residential eviction orders, unless the Court’s order is based on an immediate risk to the health, safety or property of others; or the owner is going to occupy or sell the property.

Under the eviction moratorium, landlords/property managers of commercial property cannot:

• Increase or threaten to increase rent during the duration of the moratorium.

On November 20, 2018, the Tacoma City Council passed the Rental Housing Code (TMC 1.95).  The Rental Housing Code (RHC) provides protections for tenants and provides specific guidance to landlords who own or operate residential rental property in Tacoma, and includes a provision for relocation assistance to low-income tenants who are displaced under certain circumstances.   

The Rental Housing Code permanently replaces the City’s temporary Ordinance 25508 which will sunset on January 31, 2019.  

The Rental Housing Code includes:

• 120-day notice to vacate and relocation assistance for low-income tenants authorized by RCW 59.18.440, when a landlord intends to change the use, substantially rehabilitate, or demolish a swelling unit
• 60-day notice to vacate for no-cause eviction
• 60-day notice requirement rent increases
• A requirement that landlords distribute certain information
• Prohibits retaliation against tenants for exercising their rights
• Allows installment payments for various deposits and fees
• Codification of relocation assistance when the City declares a building uninhabitable
• Provides authority to enforce violations.