On May 7, 2025, Washington became the third U.S. state to enact statewide rent control – joining California and Oregon – with the passage of House Bill 1217. The law caps annual rent increases on most residential properties and includes special provisions for manufactured housing, among other regulations.  Proponents argue the measure offers needed tenant protections amid…

Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS® members now have a new housing incentive to watch—Senate Bill 5529, recently signed into law, officially expands a key property tax exemption for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to include Pierce County. This law encourages homeowners to build and rent detached ADUs to low-income households by offering a property tax exemption on the value…

As Washington state lawmakers weigh new revenue sources to balance the state budget, proposed changes to the state’s property tax cap are raising alarms among housing advocates—including the Washington REALTORS®, who recently commissioned an analysis to better understand the potential impacts on homeowners. The proposals under consideration would remove the long-standing 1% cap on annual…

On Thursday, April 10th, the State Senate passed an amended version of HB 1217 which would implement rent control in Washington State. Due to changes made from the House version which was approved in March, the bill must move back to the House of Representatives for a vote of concurrence to be enacted into law.…

One of the most hotly debated issues this legislative session has involved ESHB 1217 which would enact rent control regulations across Washington State. This bill passed out of the House of Representatives on Monday, March 10th by a vote of 53 – 42. While the bill did move out of the House, several amendments were made…

On January 29 – 30th, nearly 50 TPCAR members joined with 600 REALTOR® members from across the State to gather at the Capitol in Olympia and lobby REALTOR® and housing consumer issues with legislators from every district in the state. The event offered attendees an opportunity to hear from the Washington REALTORS® (WR) lobby team…

Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS® advocacy team has hit the ground running in 2025 as several carry-over items from 2024 will continue to be worked on this year. Those include: Pierce County TPCAR has been tracking proposed short term rental regulations (STR), as well as accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations, for unincorporated areas of Pierce…

Tacoma is moving forward with its Home in Tacoma Phase 2 ordinance, a major update to zoning and building regulations aimed at increasing housing density and creating more opportunities for homeownership. As a REALTOR®, understanding these changes is essential to helping your clients navigate the evolving real estate landscape.  Key Zoning Changes The new ordinance…

In alignment with our mission to keep members informed on key planning and policy changes, TPCAR shares recent developments impacting Pierce County’s rural density planning and Tacoma’s business resilience efforts. These updates highlight important shifts in growth management strategies, with implications for land use and local business support. Home In Tacoma Update: Phase 2 of…

TPCAR continues to meet with the City of Tacoma’s Licensing Department to ensure current information is available for REALTOR® members who sell real estate in the city. Current updates on license requirements and how B&O taxes are apportioned between the brokerage and agent are shared in this update.  We continue to work on the concerns…