Portland Legislator Outlines Proposals for Renter Protections

Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer (D-Portland) at a Thursday Human Services and Housing Committee hearing announced a trio of strategies she'll introduce in a housing relief bill during the 2016 legislative session.

Keny-Guyer's bill would require landlords to pay relocation costs equal to one month's rent for tenants served with no-cause eviction notices, prohibit no-cause evictions within six months of a tenant's request for maintenance or repairs, and keep landlords from raising a tenant's rent until after one year of occupancy.

These increased protections in Keny-Guyer's proposal, if passed, will beef up another proposal she's working on with House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland) to require landlords to give tenants 90-days notice prior to a rent increase for long-term tenants.

Kotek is also working on getting Oregon's general assistance program reinstated and securing $10 million in one-time funding for emergency housing and shelters.

Keny-Guyer says she would like to abolish no-cause evictions entirely, but doesn't think she'd be successful in getting that proposal through the legislature during the 36-day 2016 session.

Additionally, Portland Senator Michael Dembrow at a Wednesday hearing introduced a draft bill that would lift Oregon's statewide ban against requiring developers to include a certain number of affordable units in new for-sale and rental developments, known as inclusionary zoning (IZ). Keny-Guyer's bill also proposes to lift the ban on mandatory IZ.

Legislators at both committee hearings expressed concern about what they agreed is a statewide housing crisis, citing places like Hood River,