TACOMA FOR ALL
Organizing for Tenant Power in the Grit City
OUR MISSION
Tacoma for All is a democratic membership organization that unites tenants, workers, and community members to transform Tacoma into a city governed by and for working people. Together, we are building a movement to abolish poverty, guarantee housing for all, dismantle racial inequities, and secure a sustainable future. We understand that our local organizing is part of a larger fight against global systems of injustice. We draw inspiration from these global struggles and leverage our victories to inspire broader movements to transform society.
WINNING THE STRONGEST TENANT PROTECTIONS IN WASHINGTON STATE
Tacoma for All led the coalition campaign to pass the Tenant Bill of Rights––now known as the Landlord Fairness Code––the strongest tenant protections in Washington State. In November 2023, nearly 22,000 Tacomans voted to pass Initiative 1, despite an unprecedented disinformation campaign funded by landlord and real estate groups based outside Tacoma. These groups shattered all previous spending records in Tacoma elections, attempting to buy the outcome and defeat tenant protections. We also successfully challenged City Hall’s undemocratic attempt to derail our initiative. Our volunteer-led campaign, launched with no paid staff or institutional backing, proved that tenants and working people can overcome immense financial and political opposition when we are well-organized, united by an effective strategy, and determined to fight.
ORGANIZING TO DEFENd OUR RIGHTS
Unfortunately, landlords are now working to overturn or weaken the Landlord Fairness Code (LFC). A wealthy Mercer Island landlord is suing the City of Tacoma to roll back tenant protections, while others are lobbying City Council to water down the LFC. In response, Tacoma for All is expanding tenant education and organizing among Tacoma’s 100,000 renters to defend these hard-won protections and escalate the fight for affordable, stable housing for all.
TACOMA TENANT LEGAL AID
After opposing the Landlord Fairness Code, the City of Tacoma chose not to enforce the new voter-approved law. As a result, many landlords are ignoring their obligations, leaving tenants overcharged and denied their rights. Without visible benefits from the LFC, tenants may lack motivation to defend it. To address this, Tacoma for All launched Tacoma Tenant Legal Aid (TTLA) in December 2024. TTLA empowers tenants to enforce their rights, recover damages, and organize for systemic change. By exposing lawbreaking landlords and deterring others through financial penalties, TTLA strengthens tenant power and ensures the LFC delivers meaningful benefits.
BUILDING TENANT POWER
Tacoma for All volunteers are canvassing apartment complexes owned by slumlords and lawbreakers, educating tenants about their rights, connecting them with TTLA, and identifying tenant leaders. We’re partnering with unions, community groups, and service organizations to offer “Know Your Rights” training and create a broad coalition of allies who see the LFC as essential to their constituencies. Expanding this coalition strengthens our ability to resist landlord lobbying efforts and defend tenant protections.
While we are proud of what Tacoma has accomplished, the housing affordability crisis continues to worsen. Homelessness in Pierce County and nationally is at an all-time high. Profit-driven developers, real estate investors, and landlords have no incentive to solve this crisis—only robust public-sector intervention can. We are inspired by Seattle voters, who passed a 2023 initiative to create a Social Housing Developer to build affordable, mixed-income, democratically managed housing. We are also engaging with the national Tenant Union Federation to explore organizing majority tenant unions in Tacoma, aligning our efforts with a broader national strategy to expand tenant power, win rent caps, and secure massive public investment in housing.
