Oregon Housing News
January 2020

Dear Multifamily NW Members,

There is no subject that rental housing providers take more seriously than fair housing. Multifamily NW has worked diligently over the years to increase access to educational opportunities on this subject for members and nonmembers alike.

These efforts were realized in 2019, as we were able to host a record number of 30 fair housing classes in Bend, Salem and Eugene.

To accomplish this milestone Multifamily NW formed the Fair Housing Committee in 2015 to ensure that we were on the cutting edge of current fair housing issues. The committee brainstormed the concept of a day of education that would be strictly focused on fair housing education.

Thus, the Fair Housing Fair was born. The day has featured national speakers whose fair housing credentials are well known, including Nadeen Green, Scott Moore and Rommel Anacan.

While we are proud of the work we have done internally regarding fair housing education, we especially want to highlight the collaborative education we have done with NW Public Affairs, which represents Housing Authorities, and the Oregon Law Center promoting fair housing across all communities rural and urban in Oregon.

With the tremendous support of the Meyers Memorial Trust, we formed a group called the Housing Choice Educational Partnership. This group began with education on HB 2639, which made source of income a protected class, and ended with our recent grant this year to remove barriers around screening.

As we head into a new decade, Multifamily NW remains committed to finding smart solutions to the complex issues we face surrounding fair housing and advocating for the communities we serve.

We encourage you to join us for our Fair Housing Fair 2020: Housing Access for All , where we will continue to celebrate fair housing laws and empower compliance.
Deborah Imse
Executive Director
Infill hearings set, vote uncertain : No quick City Council vote expected
Debate ongoing whether Portland's urban growth boundary increases homelessness
After four long years of planning and debate, the Portland City Council is finally scheduled to take public testimony on the controversial proposal to increase density in single-family neighborhoods.
Is Oregon’s nation-leading effort to protect the environment and stop urban sprawl affecting homelessness?

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Getting to the Root of Oregon's Housing Issues
As we enter the next decade, and more immediately, the legislative session, we must remain engaged, informed and willing to do what we can to provide solutions to two significant problems plaguing not only Portland, but the state of Oregon: homelessness and the lack of “affordable” housing.

As informed citizens we must focus on the underlying issues causing these social failings and not be distracted by the symptoms.

During this short session, my work with Multifamily NW will be focused on four areas which specifically affect these underlying issues:

  • Commercial activity tax
  • Legislation requiring rent caps on affordable units
  • The utility allocation fix
  • Cap and trade legislation
My Housing Story
My partners and I are selling our rental property in South Tabor because we want to get out from under the onerous Portland screening criteria and relocation fees. We purchased the single family home 13 years ago and it has been a rental ever since. The house will sell for approximately $400,000, so will undoubtedly become owner-occupant. I have advised my tenants in another house in the Eliot neighborhood that I want to sell that property as well.  
I have owned that property and maintained it as a rental for 18 years. That four-bedroom home has housed as many as five roommates. Again, that property will sell for $400,000+ so will undoubtedly become a single family home. That property will be sold when my tenants decide to vacate – I have not given them a termination notice.

I am a realtor and have recently sold my clients a house with an ADU which they will rent exclusively as an Airbnb. The Airbnb was formerly a single family rental property. My clients decided they do not want to submit to Portland’s landlord/tenant rules, so they will rent it as an Airbnb or keep it vacant.

I am involved in the sale of a single family home in the Hawthorne neighborhood which was formerly rented by four roommates. My client paid the roommates the relocation fee and is selling the home to owner occupants. Again, they made this decision because of the changes in Portland housing laws. 

My best friend wants to buy another single family rental property but has decided that she will purchase in Vancouver rather than in Portland because of Portland’s housing laws. Vancouver rental property prices are skyrocketing. I suspect this is because landlords are baling out of Portland and investing across the river.

I have a client who has moved out of sale. Rather than rent out her single family home in North Portland, she is selling it. Her decision to sell rather than rent was due to the changes in Portland’s housing rules. 

I am only one realtor in Portland. Other realtors to whom I have spoken are having the same experiences. Thank you.
Upcoming Events
January 2020
January 10, 2020

Multifamily NW Welcomes Jeffrey S. Bennett, Attorney at Law, Warren Allen LLP, for a brownbag
on having a solid framework for dealing with today's legal environment.
January 16, 2020

Multifamily NW Welcomes Zach Howell, Principal, B.E.A.R Consulting Service. The No. 1 reason a resident chooses not to renew a lease and moves out is poor maintenance. This class might be the most important course for your maintenance staff.
January 15, 2020

Overview of Portland's Fair Access in Renting "FAIR" rules effective 3/1/20.
January 20, 2020

Multifamily NW welcomes landlord/tenant law attorney Leah Sykes to give an in-depth view of Portland’s new FAIR ordinances. These new rules overhaul the resident application process and security deposit protocols effective 3/1/20.
January 16, 2020

Multifamily NW Welcomes Greg Knakal, Princeton Property Management, for this installment of our Certified Apartment Manager series.
January 27, 2020

Multifamily NW welcomes landlord/tenant law attorney Leah Sykes to give an in-depth view of Portland’s new FAIR ordinances for the second half of this series.
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16083 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd, STE 105, Tigard, OR 97224
Multifamily NW © 2019

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