- Welcome to The Newsfeed.

Tacoma renters could have stronger protections if voters approve a ballot initiative this November.

In partnership with KNKX, reporter Nate Sanford tells us more about initiative Measure 1, known as Safe Homes for All.

- Organizers hope to take Tacoma's tenant protections, passed by voters in 2023, a step further by strengthening enforcement.

If a landlord violates the law, the main avenue to address it is often the courts, which many housing activists say is out of reach for most renters.

- Litigation is a lengthy process Landlords have a lot of resources.

And tenants just don't have the time, the energy or the money.

- Tacoma for All gathered nearly 9,000 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot, following a wave of tenants' unions forming throughout the city earlier this year.

The initiative would make the city responsible for going after noncompliant landlords and issuing fines.

Enforcement would be funded with a new rental registry fee.

The initiative would also require landlords to bargain with renters who form tenant unions.

Opponents, such as Sean Flynn of the Rental Housing Association, argue the measure will drive up rents by forcing small landlords to sell to big corporations.

- If you truly want more housing that's affordable to more people this not only does not get you there, it leads you to the opposite direction.

- Tacoma previous tenants rights initiative passed in 2023.

It included mandatory relocation assistance for some rent increases, new requirements to notify tenants of rent hikes, and it put limits on fees for renters.

That measure passed by a narrow margin of less than 400 votes.

- Next time, we'll tell you about the race to fill five of the nine seats in the state Supreme Court.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Thanks for watching The Newsfeed.