Statewide Rent Control Passes Oregon Senate, Would Be First In US

PORTLAND, OR – Oregon could soon become the first in the nation to pass statewide rent control. The state Senate passed the bill on Monday by a vote of 17-11, with the vote mostly along party lines.

One Democrat, Sen. Betsy Johnson of Scappoose, voted with the Republicans.

It now goes to the state House where House Speaker Tina Kotek is its main sponsor. It's expected to go easily from there to the desk of Governor Brown who has already expressed support for it.

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Rent control is usually legislated by cities and counties as opposed to state legislatures, which is what makes the Oregon bill groundbreaking. While it would impose a statewide standard, it would not stop localities from imposing their own, tougher laws.

The bill prevents landlords – except in the case of properties less than 15-years-old – from raising rent more than 7 percent plus the change in Consumer Price Index in one year.

The bill would also give greater protections for tenants who have lived in a building for at least one year. Landlords would no longer be able to evict them without cause.

While Republicans objected to the bill, saying it would discourage investment in Oregon, chip away at the number of rental units and, ultimately, lead to higher rents.

Democrats say that rent control is not going to solve all the state's housing problems but it will stem the number of Oregonians losing their homes.

Statehouse photo via Oregon Legislature.