Posts by sean@tpcar.org

Tuesday, December 9th at 5 pm, Tacoma City Council will be voting on an ordinance that would amend the 2023 Landlord Fairness Code Initiative—better known as Tacoma Measure 1. These proposed changes represent meaningful progress toward a more balanced rental housing framework, but they also highlight how much work remains to ensure that Tacoma’s rental market stays…

Tacoma’s housing market continues to feel the effects of Measure 1 — a set of policies passed by initiative in November 2023 that, while intended to promote stability for renters, are instead accelerating the loss of affordable housing across the city. The recent sale of several Goodman Real Estate properties is a case study in how…

In This Article When Congress last set the capital gains exclusion in 1997, the average U.S. home cost about $145,000. Nearly three decades later, home values have more than tripled—but the tax rule hasn’t moved an inch. The lack of action on this is now pointing the US real estate market directly at a “capital…

2025 is a local election year, meaning city council and mayoral races are a large focus for TPCAR’s advocacy team. This year’s primary is being held on Tuesday, August 5th, and there are several key races which are likely to be competitive, and which will have a significant impact on housing in our region.  Candidates…

The Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS® is proud to endorse John Hines for Mayor of Tacoma. Councilmember Hines has demonstrated a consistent and thoughtful commitment to expanding housing opportunities across Tacoma. From his early support and leadership on the Home in Tacoma initiative, to his strong advocacy for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), John has championed policies that…

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.…

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…