Pending Oregon Housing Bills That Could Reshape Oregon’s Landlord/Tenant Landscape (May 12, 2025)

Monday, May 12, 2025 (Update from Multifamily NW Governmental Relations reports.) Edited by Aaron Kirk Douglas

The state legislature is currently debating the following housing bills in Oregon:

High-Priority Oregon Housing Bills

• SB 690-1 (High-Oppose) The amendment to this bill would ban evictions of pregnant women and young mothers for nonpayment if they meet certain criteria pertaining to medical 1115 waivers/rent assistance; there was a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Rules on 5/7. Currently, there are no scheduled events or hearings.

The reasons for opposition are a lack of clarity around:

1. 1. How women apply and get approved

   2. Hard to make sense of from a technical standpoint: Are owners or managers required to ask women to prove their reproductive status in a public setting, such as to their apartment manager or owner? What happens if they miscarry? What if they terminate the pregnancy? It seems impossible to administer. A better option would be rent relief from the state directly to landlords.

More High-Priority Oregon Housing Bills

• SB 974 A (High-Support) This bill expedites permitting timelines, requires cities to respond to applicants within 2 weeks, and has certain timelines for final engineering approval. There was a public hearing in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on 5/5. This bill expedites permitting timelines, requires cities to respond to applicants within 2 weeks, and has certain timelines for final engineering approval. There was a public hearing in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on 5/5. This bill expedites permitting timelines, requires cities to respond to applicants within 2 weeks, and has certain timelines for final engineering approval. It had a continued public hearing in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on Monday, 5/12.

• HB 3521 A (High – Oppose) This bill requires providers to pay damages if a lease isn’t executed, even for reasons beyond their control, increasing costs. The Senate Committee on Housing and Development held a hearing on May 12.

• HB 3522 A (High-Support) This bill simplifies squatter removal and makes units available to responsible tenants faster. The Senate Committee on Housing and Development held a public hearing on Tuesday, May 12.

• SB 426 A (High—Oppose) This bill would make an owner and a direct contractor jointly liable in a civil action for any unpaid wages to an unrepresented employee. A public hearing was held on 5/7 in the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards. Another workshop is set for Wednesday, 5/14.

Issues with SB 426 A:

1. 1. 1. Lawsuits are allowed up to 3 years after work is done, and they include a private right of action.

      2. This is a carpenters’ union bill. It theoretically aims to pursue shady contractors and stop the illegal trafficking of construction labor, but it doesn’t focus on that issue.

      3. It applies to homeowners.

      4. It also applies to nonprofits, religious organizations, and all property management companies.

      5. The “owner” definition is broad. As an example, if you managed people to do work on your house and acted as a general contractor, you are exempt. However, hiring a general contractor exposes you to lawsuits for the work they perform on your home.

      6. It applies to union and non-union labor, hourly and independent contractors, etc.

      7. Every homeowner in the state is jointly and severally liable for wage theft. If a contractor hires a subcontractor, and that subcontractor subsequently hires another subcontractor, the liability still applies.

      8. If you don’t get this resolved, you will not be able to clear the title.

      9. If you sold a property, a subcontractor could come along and sue later after the property transfer.

      10. This bill will have a chilling effect on housing and construction because it opens a whole other level of liability.

      11. There is already a way to handle this issue, which is by filing liens on property, making this bill unnecessary.

Medium-Priority Oregon Housing Bills

• SB 684A (Medium Support) Directs the Housing and Community Services Department to establish a program to issue low-interest short-term loans for the construction of mixed-income public developments. There was a public hearing held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/7. Work session to be held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/12.

• HB 2074 (Medium – Support) Extends the sunset date for vertical housing development projects; public hearing held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/5; work session to be held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/12.

• HB 2077 (Medium – Support) Extends the sunset date for the property tax exemption for nonprofit corporations in low-income housing; public hearing held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/5; work session to be held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/12.
• HB 2078 (Medium – Support) Extends sunset date for the property tax exemption for multiunit rental housing; public hearing held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/5; work session to be held in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue on 5/12.
• HB 2567 A (Medium – Support) This bill expands the heat pump program; House concurred in Senate amendments and re-passed the bill on 5/6.
• HB 3589 (Medium—Support) Requires OHCS to develop a senior housing development initiative. On 5/8, the committee held a work session and unanimously passed the bill.

Low-Priority Oregon Housing Bills

• HB 2964 (Low – Support) This act creates a temporary program for OHCS to award grants and loans for housing prep; a public hearing is to be held in the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on Wednesday, 5/14.

• HB 3054 (Low—Support) is a manufactured housing rent control bill that would cap rent increases at 6%. The engrossed A version allows for a greater increase if park residents agree. A work session was held in the Senate Committee on Housing Development on Monday, May 12.

Here is how to contact your legislators, watch hearings, and submit testimony:

Look up bills and key legislators on this website. You can see how to submit written testimony, watch live or recorded hearings, and contact your legislators.

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