Commissioner Chloe Eudaly has delayed the City Council's vote on the new renter protections she is proposing.
The council originally took testimony on the proposal on April 3 and 4. It was proposal scheduled to return to the council on Thursday, April 25. But Eudaly's office tells the Portland Tribune it will be delayed two weeks while the commissioner reworks it. No amendments were released.
The proposals would impose numerous new restrictions and requirements on landlords in an effort to make housing available to more residents. Among other things, it would require that landlords justify not renting units to people with criminal convictions in some cases, reduce the monthly income requirement to more than twice the monthly rent, and create rules about when landlords can withhold the return of security deposits.
The proposal is supported by tenant right activists, affordable housing association and some landlords. It is opposed by other landlords and organizations representing them, who say it could discourage the construction of future rental units.
"Our members are grateful that city council is delaying the vote to consider ways to make the ordinance meet everyone's needs," said Deborah Imse, executive director of Multifamily NW, the largest rental housing provider group in Oregon. "Multifamily NW has made a number of suggestions to city commissioners about the rental housing ordinance.
"We share the goal of reducing barriers to housing, but Portland needs to ensure the rules are not so onerous that rental housing providers decide to give up and get out. That will ultimately reduce housing supply in Portland, which will decrease affordability. New rules passed last year in Portland have already decreased supply. There has to be balance."
