Portland is facing a housing crisis that has increased homelessness and evictions. A woman died of hypothermia after being evicted for owing $338 in rent. To address this, Portland passed an ordinance requiring landlords to pay moving costs for tenants evicted without cause or due to a 10% or higher rent increase. Some state lawmakers aim to expand this mandate statewide and lift the rent control ban to better protect renters facing rising housing costs.

1. How Portland is
Addressing
Its Housing Crisis
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2. Portland is facing a housing crisis that is driving tenants out to the streets. Homelessness
can have a fatal consequence when combined with the city’s sub-zero conditions during
winter.
In October 2016, a 52-year-old woman in Portland was $338 behind her rent when her
landlord evicted her from a low-income housing facility. She died from hypothermia in a
parking garage three months later.
Eviction in Oregon
In the state of Oregon, a landlord has two options when giving an eviction notice to a tenant
who is not paying the rent. When the resident is unable to provide the rent eight days after
its due, the landlord will give the tenant three days to pay. In another case, the owner can
give the notice after five days, therefore giving the tenant six days to pay their overdue
rent. With the consistent rise in housing cost in Portland, however, it is getting more difficult
for tenants to pay on time.

3. Portland’s Solution
As a way to address its housing crisis, the city passed an ordinance in January that requires
Portland landlords to pay for the moving costs of tenants they evicted for “no cause.” They
should provide the assistance within 14 days of sending out the eviction notice.
Tenants will also receive moving assistance when their landlords increase their rent by 10
percent or more within 12 months, which caused them to move out. The support money
varies between $2,900 and $4,500, depending on the number of bedrooms.
The ordinance is set to last through October 2017.
Expanding Statewide
Shortly after Portland has passed the ordinance, some state lawmakers planned to broaden
the mandate statewide. The decision came after 17 Democratic legislators met with 200
tenants affected by the housing crisis.
During the forum, Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives Tina Kotek proposed to
lift the statewide ban on rent control, The Daily Astorian reported.

4. In a 2016 report by NBC, 43 percent of Americans are still renting their home. With this
staggering amount, legislators should continue to pass laws and ordinances that protect
almost half of the American population.
Sources:
https://mic.com/articles/164942/a-woman-froze-to-death-in-portland-oregon-after-being-
evicted-for-338-in-overdue-rent#.J78EZPLVv
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/tenant-defenses-evictions-oregon.html
http://www.wweek.com/news/city/2017/01/24/city-council-releases-plan-to-make-portland-
landlords-pay-moving-costs-for-renters-they-evict-for-no-cause/
http://www.realpropertymanagementportland.com/
http://www.dailyastorian.com/da/capital-bureau/20170206/house-dems-want-to-take-
portlands-rental-rules-statewide
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/foreclosure-fallout-43-percent-americans-are-
still-renting-n516806