Oregon may become the first state in the county to mandate rent control following the passage of Senate Bill 608.
The bill, which had no problem making through the Oregon House with a 35 to 25 vote, only needed the signature of Governor Kate Brown to become a law and the Governor has expressed support for the rent control cause.
The crux of the law would be that it limits rent increases to inflation plus seven percent a year. Exemptions would include subsidized rent and the first 15 years of new construction. Additionally, if tenants leave of their own free will, then landlords are free to increase the rent without a limit.
Another feature of the bill that tenants will appreciate is the requirement for landlords to provide a reason for eviction of tenants. Moreover, depending on the eviction reason given, renters could be entitled to a minimum of 90 days’ notice plus one month’s rent paid.
It will only be a matter of time before apartment complex owners working with printing services here in Portland and around the state find a way to work with this new law and incorporate it into their marketing strategy.
Portland tenants have struggled against climbing rent for years, but the state’s largest city hasn’t suffered alone. According to the Willamette Week, Eugene and Salem and other Oregon cities have dealt with rent increases of 25 percent over a four-year period.