January 2026 Law Changes

Dear Members,

Happy New Year! There are several law changes that took effect on January 1, 2026 from the 2025 Legislative Session. Check out full synopsis of Multifamily NW 2025 Session Advocacy here. 

Update to Mandatory Disclosure in Nonpayment Termination Notices

An update to the mandatory notice that must be attached to all nonpayment termination notices has been updated effective on January 2, 2026. Beginning on that date, you must attach the newest "Notice RE: Eviction for Nonpayment of Rent" form and cease using the old version. If you are a Multifamily NW forms user, this change has been made for you automatically in TenantTech.com & RentalFormsCenter.com. For members who use their own forms, a different forms bank, or have been relying on copies of old forms, please be sure to update your forms for all nonpayment termination notices issued in 2026. Failure to do so may result in your termination notice being defective.

The following nonpayment forms have been updated for Oregon:

• M015 OR 13-Day Termination for Nonpayment of Rent + FED Notice
• M020 OR 10-Day Notice of Termination for Nonpayment of Rent + FED Notice
• M023 OR Notice of For Cause Termination + FED Notice
• M028 OR 10-Day Notice of Termination for Repeat Violations + FED Notice
• M029 OR Notice of Termination for Nonpayment of Rent (HOME Program) + FED Notice
• M220 OR Oregon 30-Day Termination for Nonpayment of Rent (For Certain Subsidized or Mortgaged Properties) + FED Notice
• M228 OR HUD 30-Day Nonpayment Notice + FED Notice

Facilitated Squatter FED Evictions

HB 3522 became effective January 1, 2026 that provides specific FED squatter language in the court’s documentation that ought to speed up eviction cases involving squatters. Multifamily NW Forms Collection M022 OR 24-Hour Notice of Termination for Unauthorized Occupant is being updated.

Changes to Hold Deposit Administration

HB 3521 became effective on January 1, 2026. This bill restricts hold deposits to approved applicants only, and directs the housing provider to refund any hold deposits in 5 business days (previously 4 calendar days) if the housing provider fails to timely execute a Rental Agreement to the applicant who has paid hold deposit for the rental unit. The refund of a hold deposit now also applies to material violations of habitability requirements of ORS 90.320(1). If the hold deposit refund is not made in a timely manner, and failure to refund was not due to an act of God, a the renter may recover from the housing provider a penalty equal to the greater of the deposit or an amount agreed to by the parties.

Electronic Building Access

HB 3378 became effective on January 1, 2026 and mandates that housing providers who provide electronic building access from a mobile app, must also provide renters with an additional access point of a physical key, electronic key, or code access. Building access cannot solely be from a renter’s mobile device.

Renter Early Exit after Receiving 90-Day End of Tenancy Notice

HB 2134 became effective on January 1, 2026. This bill allows a renter in a fixed term tenancy to serve the housing provider a 30-Day Notice to Vacate after renter has already been served a 90-Day Notice of Termination by the housing provider.

Tweak Towing Rules in Apartment Complexes

HB 1036 became effective on January 1, 2026. This bill removed statutory language that allowed a tower to immediately tow vehicles in specific circumstances without consulting the housing provider of the property. Now all tows on property must be initiated by the housing provider.

Expiring Affordable Housing Rent Increase

SB 973 became effective on January 1, 2026. This bill requires housing providers of publicly supported housing to provide all applicants and tenants notice of when the affordability restrictions may be terminated. Extends time frame of disclosures from 20 months to 30 months in advance. This applies to properties with restrictions ending on or after July 1, 2028.

Extension of Rental Home Heat Pump Program

HB 2567 became effective January 1, 2026. This bill extends the sunset of the rental home heat pump program through January 2, 2036. Allows the State Department of Energy to provide additional incentive amount under the rental home heat pump program for contractors who install heat pumps in rural or frontier communities.

Rent Assistance/Eviction Prevention for families with children under 12 months old

SB 690 was passed during the 2025 Legislative Session and this provision took effect on July 24, 2025. This bill requires courts to delay eviction trials for nonpayment of rent until at least 90-days following approval of health-related social needs housing supports provided by Oregon Health Plan (OHP).

Immigration Status Protected Class in Fair Housing Laws

SB 599 passed the 2025 Legislative Session and took effect on May 28, 2025. This bill reiterates national origin fair housing protections and specifies immigration status as a distinct protected class. This bill prohibits discrimination based on immigration status for real property transactions based on the type of identifying documentation or disclosing or threatening disclosure of an applicant’s or a renter’s immigration or citizenship status for improper purposes.

As we head into the short legislative session on February 2, 2026, we invite you to join our weekly Friday legislative update calls. These standing Teams meetings are designed to keep members informed in real time on key bills impacting our industry and to provide a space for your input on positions and strategy as legislation moves quickly. These updates are an important way to stay connected, ask questions, and help shape our advocacy efforts throughout the session. We hope you’ll join us. Email Jonny Clay to request the meeting invite.