Oregon may make landlords pay for no-cause evictions

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – As Oregon endures an acute housing shortage, the Legislature is considering making landlords pay tenants for no-cause evictions.

The bill is one of the session’s most bitterly contested proposals. It also would reverse a law that bans most rent controls, allowing cities and counties to adopt their own rent controls.

Oregon is one of America’s most popular moving destinations. From July 2015 to July 2016, Oregon was America’s sixth-fastest growing state in percentage population.

But too few homes are being built, and families face steep rent hikes or evictions to make way for better-heeled tenants. House Speaker Tina Kotek says it’s an “emergency that demands bold action.”

If the bill passes, Oregon would be at the forefront in the U.S. in establishing renter protections.