Vacancy Tax is Considered Investor Kryptonite [5/07/26]

Eighty percent of Portland-area property owners, developers, and investors say a city vacancy tax would change their investment and development strategy. Most of them say the change would be toward divestment. That’s the headline finding from a new survey conducted by Portland State University’s Center for Real Estate. This survey was distributed in partnership with HFO Investment Real Estate. Furthermore, the results are discussed in this conversation between HFO partner Greg Frick and PSU professor of finance and real estate Dr. Julia Freybote.

Over 600 Responses

The survey received more than 600 responses — including more than 400 from owners, developers, brokers, and property managers with active portfolios in Portland. The survey is the most comprehensive industry-side look yet at what’s actually driving Portland’s vacancy problem and what a vacancy tax would do to investment in the city.