The Oregon House could vote as soon as Tuesday on a measure that would ban most no-cause evictions in the state.
Once a renter has been in a unit for six months, the bill would only allow no-cause evictions under very limited circumstances.
"When we have an out-of-whack supply-and-demand market, one thing that happens is that tenants are much more vulnerable to losing their homes because the landlord wants to raise their rent or bring in a higher-income tenant,” said Alison McIntosh with Neighborhood Partnerships, which supports the measure.
The bill would also allow cities to limit the amount that landlords could increase rent each year.
Dozens of landlords testified against the measure, which advanced out of committee on a party-line vote. Democratic House Speaker Tina Kotek has signaled that housing issues would be among her priorities this session, as Oregon’s biggest cities continue to deal with tight housing markets.
If the House approves the bill, it would move to the Oregon Senate for consideration.