Attacks on the Vote No On Measure 1 campaign

Tacoma for All is using the media to spread misleading attacks against "Vote No On Measure 1." Recent stories in Q13 Fox and the Tacoma News Tribune highlight these dirty tricks to confuse voters. Let's fact check their claims:

Lie #1: Ty Moore claimed that we are spreading disinformation by saying that Measure 1 puts the gains from new tenant protection laws passed in July 2023 at risk.

• Fact Check #1 While it is true that Measure 1 will add to new tenant protections, Measure 1 will also force many small housing providers to take their rentals off the market. 46% of Tacoma's rental housing providers live in Tacoma and make less than $250K per year. Tenants that do manage to find housing will have greater protections, but the housing crisis will get WORSE, not better. As shown in recent research, Seattle lost 6,738 registered properties (20.1%) after passing a similar law in February 2020. Homelessness in Seattle increased by 12% from 2020 to 2022, partially due to the COVID pandemic but also because many affordable housing units were taken off the market.

Lie #2: Proponents of Measure 1 claim that the Vote No On Measure 1 campaign is funded by outside money.

• Fact Check #2 The Vote No On Measure 1 Campaign is funded in part by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), a national trade organization that represents realtors all over the United States. NAR contributes to local initiatives across the country at the request of local and state chapters using funds that are paid for by local dues. This funding represents the voices of Washington-based housing providers, many of whom own or manage property in Tacoma. According to data from Tacoma's Tax and Licensing Department, 46% of Tacoma's landlords live in Tacoma and over 90% live in WA state. 93.3% of Tacoma housing providers make less than $250K per year. Local people stand to get hurt by Measure 1, which is why local people are engaged and involved in the effort to stop Measure 1.

Lie #3: The Vote No On Measure 1 campaign broke campaign financing rules

• Fact Check #3 Sensing the effectiveness of our campaign, supporters of Measure 1 are clearly grasping at straws to distract from the main points: if it passes, Measure 1 will DESTABILIZE Tacoma's rental housing market, INCREASE homelessness, and HARM small local housing providers the most. Small housing providers account for about 40% of the rental housing supply in Tacoma. Measure 1 supporters are looking to use cheap administrative technicalities in an attempt to throw our campaign off balance and divert our resources away from the core issues. This is how Tacoma for All uses their donors' money—filing frivolous legal complaints. All the organizations involved in the campaign to oppose Measure 1 make every attempt to comply with local, state, and federal laws. Our opponents know their complaints will never stand in court but the vote will be decided long before their complaint can be thrown out. This is a cheap marketing gimmick meant to make our legitimate effort appear tainted, and it will not work!