On October 7th, the City of Portland declared a Housing State of Emergency.
Yet, at that council meeting, Commissioner Fish conceded, ”Let's acknowledge that this vote in and of itself solves nothing. "
Indeed. It did not.
Local news recently reported that Portland’s rent increases are the highest in the nation, increasing at a rate of 14% OVER JUST ONE MONTH. The snooze-button emergency “renter protections” - - - 90-days notice on rent increases and no-cause evictions---did nothing to stop the exploitative price gouging. These "protections" did nothing to quiet the tsunami of forced displacement.
On April 7th, six months to the day of Portland’s declaration, we are asking you to join us in asking Multnomah County to take bold and decisive action. We can’t wait for the magical day that supply catches up with demand. We need to protect and stabilize tenants struggling to stay in their homes. We need rent control, and we need it now.
Oregon statute 91.225(5) gives local jurisdictions the power to enact rent control in a manmade disaster that results in significant material elimination of the rental housing supply.
Our rental housing has been materially eliminated by AirBnB, rampant evictions, speculative real estate practices, unregulated housing providers, and untenable rent increases.
And it IS, most certainly, a disaster. We have all heard stories of the impact of housing insecurity: extreme health and education disparities, economic instability, homelessness, pregnant women and new mothers and entire families sleeping in cars or homeless camps, victims of domestic violence trapped in their abusive living situation, and even suicide. Indeed, research cited in the top selling book ‘Evicted’ shows that evictions are not a consequence of poverty, but a CAUSE of it.
It is time for rent control; it is time for protection from no-cause evictions. Another summer of evictions is around the corner. We can’t wait. The time is now.
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