We have great news!

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the Eugene City Council voted 7-1 to advance Phase1 of the Protecting Eugene Renters in Transition slate of reforms. Watch the full meeting here. The city attorney’s office will be drafting an ordinance and administrative appropriation that implements Phase1. A public hearing will be held and a final vote will be taken.  Kevin Cronin, with Housing Oregon, continually met with tenant leaders, allied landlords and coalition partners to support this advocacy effort. For Eugene, it’s the largest investment in supportive services and protections for renters since 2005. 

Phase One – There are five key components:

  1. Support Services. Funds a rental housing navigator position; expansion and management of rental housing data collection; code enforcement of the protections; and other tenant support services such as a tenant hotline and eviction diversion utilizing funds from an increased Rental Housing Code door fee. The rental housing navigator will support renters and landlords, and also assist with solutions and support for:
    • ex-offenders and other classes of people with similar challenges struggling to qualify for rental housing
    • community members who need ADA compliant units. 
  2.  Move-in/out documentation. Require landlords to itemize and photo document property conditions at move-in and move-out, and itemize and photo document withholdings from security deposit. The tenant shall receive copies. 

  3. Rental History. Requires landlord, upon a tenant written request, to provide rental history (references) for a tenant who has not yet given notice. 

  4. Information on Renters’ Rights/Landlords’ Obligations. Require landlords to distribute, together with any written rental agreement, an educational document describing Senate Bill 608 with regard to terminations. The City will be responsible for creating, updating, and posting the educational material. Any local renter protections will be included plus information about the rental housing code program.

  5. Capping Application and Screening fees at $10/adult.

The City Council also established a timeline to bring forward Phase 2 by Nov 1, 2022, and Phase 3 by Feb 1, 2023. Phase 2 includes implementing Displacement Prevention Assistance, an ordinance similar to Portland’s relocation assistance. 

You can read all about the phases here.