Tacoma City Council Passes Ordinance to Modernize Property Maintenance Standards, Address Repeat and Chronic Violations, and Strengthen Neighborhood Livability

~ The Tacoma City Council has passed an ordinance updating the city's property maintenance standards and expanding its tools for addressing repeat and chronic violations. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

The city said Ordinance 29125 incorporates standards from the International Property Maintenance Code into Tacoma's Property Maintenance and Nuisance Code. It also amends related administrative provisions covering the Hearing Examiner, building regulations, health and public safety.

Tacoma currently handles about 4,500 property maintenance cases annually, according to the city. Existing rules, including nuisance provisions in Chapter 8.30 and minimum building standards in Chapter 2.01, leave gaps in enforcement authority and do not establish a consistent, comprehensive standard, the city said.

The city said it reviewed modernization options and compared its approach with those of other jurisdictions before drafting the amendments.

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Mayor Anders Ibsen said residents had raised concerns about neighborhood cleanliness and safety. He said the update would help the city address nuisance properties and improve neighborhoods.

Deputy Mayor Joe Bushnell said residents in District 5 had called for stronger standards. He said he plans to work with the community on education about the code and its implementation.

Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh said the changes are intended to make standards clearer and more consistent, while strengthening the city's response to chronic violations. Council Member Sandesh Sadalge said the ordinance allows for education and voluntary compliance but gives the city more ability to respond when property owners do not comply.

Sadalge also said enforcement would require additional resources, and that residents would not see a difference without investment in enforcement capacity.

Under the ordinance, the expanded enforcement program cannot begin until at least nine months after the council appropriates dedicated implementation funding. The city said the period is intended to allow for public outreach, policy and systems updates, and the recruitment and onboarding of staff.

More information is available at tacoma.gov/IPMC.

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