Housing activists in Tacoma are gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that could strengthen enforcement of renter protections. The initiative is a follow-up to the “ Tenant Bill of Rights ,” also known as the Landlord Fairness Code, passed by Tacoma voters in 2023. That ballot measure added a number of new renter protections, including a ban on excessive fees; winter eviction restrictions; and mandatory relocation assistance for rent increases over 5%. But activists say compliance has been spotty. If a renter feels their landlord is not compliant with the protections, taking them to court is often their only recourse, and that is out of reach for most tenants, said Kiss’Shonna Curtis, an organizer with Tacoma for All, the group behind the 2023 initiative and the new one this year. “Litigation is a lengthy process,” Curtis said.…