Latest Roundup of Oregon's Housing Legislation - Get All The Latest Here

Multifamily NW has provided the latest roundup of legislation in the Oregon senate that could potentially affect Oregon rental owners. Here's the status:

• March 19th was the deadline for bills to have at least a 1st chamber Public Hearing or Work Session scheduled. Most priority bills we’re tracking are currently safe. There are still many bills still in play. 
  
  
• The next deadline to anticipate is Tuesday, April 13th, the date most committees have to hold Work Sessions on 1st Chamber bills.
  
  

MULTIFAMILY NW IS NEUTRAL ON THE FOLLOWING BILL

SB 282-3 (Multifamily NW and other housing providers are currently neutral) redefines terms of the current Eviction Moratorium. It had a 3rd Public Hearing on Thursday, March 18th in the Senate Housing & Development Committee. A Work Session has been scheduled for Thursday, March 25th at 1:00pm. Sizable concessions were proposed to strike automatic presumption of retaliation and retain the ability to screen long-term guests. Chair Jama’s workgroup still in flux..The Grace Period for repayment would extend through February 2022. The Emergency Period of the moratorium would still end after June 30th.

MULTIFAMILY NW OPPOSES THE FOLLOWING BILLS

HB 2761 seeks to mandate forms be translated into five most commonly spoken languages other than English for manufactured housing facilities. It has a Work Session scheduled for Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

HB 2736 would require landlords to provide tenants with an informational notice to be developed by BOLI regarding discrimination. A Work Session is scheduled for Thursday, April 1, 2021. 

SB 291-4 seeks to limit tenant screening criteria that can be used to deny applicants and increases conditions under which landlords are required to provide applicants with certain information. The amended measure would prevent landlords from considering previous arrests if applicants are currently admitted into a diversion or deferral of judgment program entered post-conviction but prior to judgment. Before denying an applicant, landlords must conduct an individualized assessment of the applicant that includes supplemental evidence on incidents that would lead to a denial. If a landlord denies an applicant, the landlord must provide the applicant with a written statement explaining why within 14 days, including information such as the tenant screening and consumer credit companies used in the screening and the applicant’s right to appeal the denial. The current governing statute only requires landlords to furnish a written explanation of denial if applicants request one. The amended measure also requires landlords to provide applicants with written notice of any federal, state, or local nondiscrimination policies before accepting applications or payment. This bill passed out of the Senate Housing and Development Committee on March 11th and will have a Senate floor vote soon. 

HB 2427 would mandate a uniform rental application, to be created and maintained by the Oregon Housing and Community Services bureau. It has a Work Session scheduled for Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

HB 2372 would eliminate a landlord’s ability to terminate the residential tenancy without cause. Its last Public Hearing was on March 2nd. 

MULTIFAMILY NW SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING BILLS

SB 327 makes necessary changes to allow landlords to bill residential tenants for utilities based on submeter reading. It has a Public Hearing scheduled for Thursday, April 1, 2021. 

SB 330 is Sen. Betsy Johnson's bill that would establish an income tax credit for forgiveness by the landlord of the tenant’s nonpayment of rent or other charges. Subtracts from federal taxable income tenant’s discharge of indebtedness income attributable to landlord’s forgiveness of nonpayment. This bill has a Public Hearing and Possible Work Session scheduled for Tuesday, March 30, 2021. 

HUNDREDS MORE BILLS ARE PENDING WITH POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR RENTAL HOUSING

Multifamily NW is watching hundreds of bills that have the potential to affect our industry. We have included a shorter list of approximately 50 bills that we are closely tracking and that most rental housing providers will want to have on their radar. This link will be updated every week.

Download current Priority Bill List

Get Involved!
Multifamily NW needs the advocacy and voice of Oregon's rental owners to support all efforts to remove barriers to housing supply.  As we look towards the future for Oregon’s housing, streamlining regulation and incentivizing investment into housing development will be pivotal to ensuring all Oregonians have a place to call home. Join the effort! Follow this link to get involved and engage your legislators with the Multifamily NW Government Affairs Team! 

Learn more about Multifamily NW and how to become a member at www.multifamilynw.org, or call (503) 213-1281.