Oregon legislative Update: Two Major Threats Defeated-But Key Policy Fights Still Brewing for Multifamily Owners
April 9, 2025
Aaron Kirk Douglas

Oregon legislative Update: Two Major Threats Defeated-But Key Policy Fights Still Brewing for Multifamily Owners

As we navigate the 2025 legislative session, Multifamily NW has been actively engaged with legislators on behalf of property owners, investors, and developers across Oregon. Here are some key updates on the progress we’ve made, the challenges we’re tackling, and the initiatives we support to ensure affordable and sustainable housing solutions for all:

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Legislative Wins:

  • Cooling Mandate Bill Dead: SB 54, which would have mandated costly cooling solutions, has been successfully stopped thanks to advocacy highlighting its impractical financial burden on property owners.
  • Rent Analyzing Software Ban + New Construction Rent Control Exemption: SB 722, which would have banned rental software and reduced the timeframe for new construction rent control exemptions, also failed.

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Key Issues Opposed:

  • Application Screening Fees Cap: HB 2967 proposes capping tenant application fees at $10, which could deter thorough vetting processes and create larger risks for property owners. Advocacy efforts to improve this legislation are ongoing.
  • Deposit Penalties Bill: HB 3521’s amendments aim to limit penalties and tighten timelines for deposit returns, but as written, it still poses concerns about fraudulent claims regarding “habitability issues.”
  • Mobile Home Park Rent Control: HB 3054 includes provisions for rent control on mobile home parks, which could set challenging precedents.
  • Joint Liability for Contractors: SB 426 introduces joint liability for unpaid wages, adding potential risks for property owners.
  • Clarity on Tenant Fees: Concerns linger regarding HB 3533, which does not yet specifically exempt housing providers from this bill, which requires disclosure of EVERY fee. (The concern is that managers & operators would have to provide a perfectly accurate list of all utility bills, fees, and costs in advertising when many of those fees and costs are optional and dependent on individual utility usage.)

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Positive Developments We Support:

  • Affordable Housing Preservation: SB 50-5 would direct up to $60 million of the Local Innovation and Fast Track Housing Program Fund to be used within the Portland tri-county area for existing multifamily housing for conversion to low-income affordable housing. SB 51-5 creates an affordable housing preservation program to maintain existing stock, and HB 2077 extends property tax exemptions for nonprofit-owned low-income housing.
  • Middle Housing Support: HB 2138 works to reduce barriers to developing middle housing types like duplexes and townhomes, encouraging diverse housing options across Oregon.
  • Infrastructure and New Housing Development: HB 1103 and HB 3939 both fund critical infrastructure in climate-friendly areas and extend grants for residential projects.
  • Building Permit Support: SB 6 would require approval and issuance, or disapproval and denial, of any application for a building permit not later than 45 days after the date on which the application submits a complete application. SB 974-1 would expedite land use timelines for multiunit developments to 45 days.

Moving Forward:

We remain committed to advocating for practical, fair, and innovative housing policies while continuing to block burdensome legislation that hampers housing development. Together, we can ensure a thriving future for property owners and renters in Oregon.

To stay engaged with these critical legislative developments! Your feedback and engagement are crucial in shaping policies that impact housing in Oregon. You can leave comments and testimony for many of the pending bills. If hearings are coming up, you can often submit testimony in advance.

If there’s no hearing, you can find your legislator to email your thoughts! Find out who they are by clicking here.

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