Ex-Tacoma council member settles legal dispute over real estate partnership
Shea Johnson
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC
2 min read
Former Tacoma City Council member Kiara Daniels has resolved litigation against an affordable-housing nonprofit founder she accused of backing out of their real estate development partnership.
Daniels’ lawsuit against CJK Community Homes founder Noemi Cagatin-Porter was dismissed on Dec. 29 by agreement of both parties, according to Pierce County Superior Court records.
Reached by text message Wednesday, Cagatin-Porter confirmed the case had been resolved through a confidential settlement.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
“The outcome allows me to move forward exactly as intended, and remain focused on advancing truly affordable housing and serving the community without any limitations,” she wrote.
Daniels, who did not seek reelection in November for her District 6 seat, couldn’t be reached Friday to discuss the case’s outcome, including what it meant for her. Daniels previously told The News Tribune she looked forward to “a fair resolution.” An attorney who represented her in the case was out of the office this week.
Daniels filed the lawsuit in November, alleging that she and Cagatin-Porter were in a 50-50 business partnership through Impact Development Group, LLP, and had agreed to develop and share in the profits of a multi-unit residential housing development at 3901 S. 69th St. in South Tacoma.
The property was purchased in 2018 by Cagatin-Porter’s CJK Legacy Investments, LLC, and later conveyed to CJK Community Homes, according to the suit. Daniels contributed $56,500 to the project’s development and worked for nearly a year to secure financing, plans and permits, the suit said. A $155,000 predevelopment loan was reportedly secured by a deed made to Impact Development Group.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Daniels claimed she learned in May that Cagatin-Porter intended to refute the partnership. After the two sides reached an impasse, Daniels took the dispute to court. Daniels alleged that as the site neared readiness for construction, she had no way to control the development process and could not access complete partnership records. She also claimed Cagatin-Porter threatened to complete the project or take other action “inconsistent with the rights of the partners,” the suit said.
The lawsuit asked the court to dissolve the partnership, liquidate its assets and order the sale of all properties that were an asset of the partnership. It sought unspecified damages and legal fees, and named Cagatin-Porter, CJK Community Homes, CJK Legacy Investments and Impact Development Group as defendants.