Tacoma’s Rental Code May Be Changing — Here’s What REALTORS® Need to Know
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 Measure 1 and the Shrinking Supply of Affordable Housing
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…
Outdated Capital Gains Rule is Keeping Homes Off the Market
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…
NAR Advocacy Update: Big Wins for REALTORS® and Housing Affordability
NAR continues to be a leading voice in shaping housing policy at the federal level. Last week, NAR representatives took part in a bipartisan congressional panel focused on housing affordability. They emphasized the critical role REALTORS® play in expanding access to homeownership and ensuring that policy decisions reflect the real needs of our communities. Among…
2026 TPCAR Board Of Directors Nominees
2026 TPCAR Board Of Directors Nominees The Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS® is proud to announce its candidates for the 2026 TPCAR Board of Directors. TPCAR’s Board of Directors is responsible for guiding TPCAR in alignment within the association bylaws, setting policy, and ensuring the organization’s mission is carried out effectively. Make your voice heard!…
Cultural Resources Final Bill
On Sept. 2, 2025, the Pierce County Council approved Ordinance No. O2025-522s—adopting a new “Cultural Resources Protection” — a package billed as both a housing-permit streamlining measure and a cultural and historic sites safeguard for tribal artifacts. The ordinance raises SEPA categorical exemption thresholds while creating a front-loaded cultural review so applicants get earlier certainty.…
TPCAR Endorsement Recommendations for 2025 Elections
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…
TPCAR Endorses John Hines for Tacoma Mayor
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…
Washington Enacts Statewide Rent Control: What HB 1217 Means for Tenants, Landlords, and the Housing Market
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…
New Property Tax Incentive for Affordable ADUs Now in Effect in Pierce County
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…
Tacoma City Council Voting on Rental Housing Code Changes Tuesday, July 11
At its July 11 meeting, Tacoma City Council is expected to vote on a final package of changes to the City’s rental housing code. These changes could have significant implications for both residents and housing providers in the City of Tacoma. TPCAR is asking its members to contact Tacoma City Council and encourage them to…
Read MoreIs Your Agent a REALTOR
While all REALTORS® are Real Estate Agents, not all Real Estate Agents are REALTORS®….and the difference is substantial. Read below to learn the REALTOR® difference, and why YOU should Look for the R when buying or selling your home! FIND A REALTOR ADVOCATES FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP REALTORS® are members of the largest trade organization in the…
Read MoreHistoric Legislative Session for Housing Comes to a Close
Historic Legislative Session for Housing Comes to a Close This year, the state Legislature passed several bills on housing including substantial bills on Permit Reform, allowing Accessory Dwelling Units, Missing Middle Housing and more. In total, six of the top priority bills for Washington REALTORS® were passed by the legislature – an historic year by…
Read MoreTrack your office dues renewals in a few, simple steps
To determine if any agents in your office(s) have an outstanding dues renewal invoice, please follow these three easy steps. Log on to your TPCAR InfoHub account by going to www.tpcar.org and clicking “Login” on the home page (if you’ve not yet created your TPCAR account you may do so by selecting “Create One” on…
Read MoreApril 2023 Advocacy Update
April 2023 Advocacy update TPCAR Government Affairs Chair, James Fisher, shares an update on advocacy issues being worked on by TPCAR and Washington REALTORS®.
Read MoreUpdates on Pierce County ordinances re: sales tax and “The Village”
Yesterday afternoon, TPCAR’s advocacy team attended the County Council meeting with the .1% sales tax increase and The Village proposals both on the agenda. TPCAR offered public comment in support, per our previous position discussed at GA. Proposed Ordinances: No. 2022-81a: An Ordinance of the Pierce County Council Levying an Additional Sales and Use Tax…
Read MoreAmbassadors Club
What is an Affiliate Ambassador? A TPCAR Ambassador is a an Affiliate Committee member volunteer who is committed to help grow and retain TPCAR membership through an extension of the association’s communications, events, networking, and mentorship programs. Think of an Ambassador as a PR extension of TPCAR. Ambassadors help retain members through personal outreach via…
Read MoreState Legislative Session Update
The State Legislature ended its session on Sunday, April 23 at 10 pm. .Several bills which seek to increase housing supply, reduce building costs, and update agency law received strong support in the legislature and were delivered to the Governor for his signature. Below is a list of some of the highest priority bills for…
Read MoreTacoma Business License Increase Likely to Hit Agents Across Pierce County
TPCAR has spent the past few months conducting additional review of the City of Tacoma’s recently enacted business license rates for 2023-24. The increases, enacted by Council in late-2022, apply to any real estate office and REALTOR® (agent) who conducts one or more transactions for property within the City of Tacoma and is based upon…
Read MorePierce County Sales Tax Increase to Fund Affordable Housing Being Discussed
Pierce County Sales Tax Increase to Fund Affordable Housing Being Discussed TPCAR’s Advocacy team has, in recent months, been working closely with members of the Pierce County Council to craft framework for a proposal to raise sales tax by .1% – raising an estimated $20 million per year – to fund affordable housing solutions. A…
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