In Portland, Oregon the City Council under pressure from Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) and the current housing market has sought to provide relief to residents who are experiencing large increases or that are being given termination notices without stated cause.
The new law goes into effect on November 13, 2015. The law requires 90 days notice be given for terminations of tenancies (there is not exemption for sales where a buyer intends to occupy the property as a primary residents as allowed under state law) and for rent increases over 5% in a 12 month period.
The Oregonian and the City Council have referred to no cause notices of termination as evictions. While this may seem like a synonymous term, they are not. An eviction is legal process to forcibly remove a tenant who has not paid or failed to compile with the lease. It is nearly impossible to have a no cause eviction. No cause notices are used for a variety of reasons such as protecting other residents and community members from violators that are difficult to catch and as a way to remove a resident without damaging their rental history.
To further compound this problem rent control is prohibited under state law. In a disappointing and potentially unethical act the city council has disregarded the law for political expediency. At the state level resident advocates have expressed interest in rent control policies which is certainly something worth contacting your legislature about to express your opinion.
As the law is written now there are many flaws within it and the consequences are yet to be seen. For specifics on the legal make of this new law please consult legal council.
