Oregon SB 611 in 2026 — the complete landlord guide: 9.5% statewide rent cap, 15-year new-construction exemption, just-cause eviction under ORS §90.427, and the Portland RROA de facto ceiling

Oregon's 2026 rent cap in context

Oregon became the first state in the United States to enact a statewide rent cap when Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 608 on February 28, 2019. After decades of no statewide rent regulation — and after a rapid housing cost escalation during the 2014–2019 period that pushed Portland vacancy rates below 3% and drove double-digit annual rent increases in Eugene, Salem, and Bend — the Oregon Legislature concluded that a statewide floor of tenant protection was necessary to prevent mass displacement without waiting for municipalities to act individually.

SB 608 set the rent cap at a flat 7% per year. Senate Bill 611 (signed July 27, 2021, effective January 1, 2022) modified the formula to a variable rate: the lesser of 10% or 7% plus the 12-month change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers in the West Region (CPI-U West), not seasonally adjusted. The result is a cap that rises and falls with inflation while maintaining a 7% minimum and 10% maximum. For 2026, with CPI-U West running at approximately 2.5%, the cap is 9.5%.

That single number — 9.5% — affects an estimated 400,000–500,000 residential rental units across Oregon, concentrated in Portland (Multnomah County), Salem (Marion County), Eugene (Lane County), Medford (Jackson County), and Corvallis (Benton County). It does not affect the large and growing inventory of post-2010 construction, which is exempt from ORS §90.323 under the 15-year rolling new-construction exemption.

This guide covers everything an Oregon residential landlord needs to know about the 2026 cap: the legislative history of SB 608 and SB 611; who is covered and who is exempt; the precise calculation of the 9.5% increase and its dollar impact at various rent levels; the 90-day written notice requirement; the mechanics of the just-cause eviction framework under ORS §90.427; and detailed market analyses for Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Bend, including the critical Portland RROA layer that creates a de facto 9% economic ceiling for most Portland landlords regardless of whether their building is technically covered by ORS §90.323.

Legislative history: from pre-2019 zero regulation to SB 608 and SB 611

Oregon before 2019: no statewide rent control, ORS §90.600 local preemption in effect

Before February 2019, Oregon not only lacked a statewide rent cap but actively prohibited local governments from enacting one. Oregon Revised Statutes §90.600 — adopted in the 1980s at the height of the national anti-rent-control legislative wave — provided that “no city, county, or other local government may enact any ordinance or resolution which controls the rent that may be charged for the rental of residential premises.” Portland, Eugene, and Salem were legally prohibited from enacting local rent-control ordinances, even as the housing affordability crisis of the 2010s intensified.

The Portland metro area experienced particularly acute pressure. Between 2011 and 2019, median asking rents in Portland rose by approximately 50–65%, driven by: a post-recession population influx from California and the Pacific Northwest; a technology-sector employment expansion anchored by Intel (Hillsboro campus, ~20,000 employees), Nike (Beaverton HQ, ~12,000–15,000 Oregon employees), and a growing cluster of software and software-adjacent companies in the Pearl District and Central Eastside; and a constrained housing supply due to Oregon's urban growth boundary system under ORS Chapter 197. Vacancy rates in core Portland neighborhoods fell below 3% by 2017, a level at which landlords of all building vintages were able to raise rents aggressively with no meaningful competition for available units.

Eugene experienced a parallel dynamic driven by the University of Oregon (approximately 22,000 students) and PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center. Salem's housing market, historically more affordable as a government-employment center, began to see spillover demand from Portland-priced-out renters commuting on I-5. The inability of any Oregon municipality to act without a change in state law created mounting legislative pressure.

House Bill 4143 (2018 interim session): the just-cause precursor

The 2018 Oregon Legislative Assembly's interim session produced House Bill 4143, which made Oregon the first U.S. state to enact a statewide just-cause eviction framework. HB 4143 added ORS §90.427 — requiring landlords to have one of a set of enumerated grounds to terminate a month-to-month tenancy after the first year — and ORS §90.302, which prohibited landlords from accepting rent after serving a no-cause termination notice (closing a previous workaround). HB 4143 did not contain a rent cap. The Legislature deliberately sequenced its actions: just-cause protections were enacted first, preventing landlords from using eviction as a response to anticipated rent-cap legislation.

HB 4143 took effect February 1, 2018 and immediately changed the calculus for Oregon landlords. No-cause terminations of long-term tenants became legally complex for the first time. The stage was set for the rent cap legislation that followed.

Senate Bill 608 (2019): Oregon's landmark statewide rent cap

Senate Bill 608 was introduced January 14, 2019, passed the Oregon Senate 17–13 on February 11, 2019, passed the Oregon House 34–24 on February 26, 2019, and was signed by Governor Brown on February 28, 2019 — taking immediate effect the same day. The speed of passage reflected both the political moment and the careful groundwork laid by HB 4143.

SB 608's core operative provisions, codified as ORS §90.323:

• 7% annual cap: No landlord subject to ORS §90.323 may increase rent by more than 7% in any 12-month period. The cap applies to each unit independently — if a landlord raises rent on unit A in January, the landlord may not raise rent on the same unit again until the following January, and may not raise it by more than 7% in that second increase.
• 15-year new-construction exemption: Units in buildings whose first certificate of occupancy was issued within the prior 15 years are exempt. For SB 608's 2019 effective date, any building with a first CoC issued in 2004 or later was initially exempt.
• Single-family home exemption: Landlords of single-family homes (including individual condominiums) may exempt their property from ORS §90.323 by providing a written notice (ORS §90.303) advising the tenant that the property is not subject to ORS §90.323 or ORS §90.427.
• ORS §90.323(7) enforcement: Any rent increase notice in excess of the cap is unenforceable as to the excess; the tenant may pay only the capped amount; and the tenant has a civil cause of action for three months' rent as a civil penalty plus actual damages and attorney fees.

SB 608 also significantly amended ORS §90.427 (just-cause eviction), ORS §90.220 (notice requirements), and ORS §90.600 (local preemption). The amended ORS §90.600 retained the prohibition on local rent caps but added subsection (2): “This section does not prohibit a city or county from adopting an ordinance or resolution that requires a landlord to pay relocation assistance to a tenant displaced by a no-cause termination or a substantial rent increase.” This carve-out is the explicit legislative authorization for Portland's RROA.

Senate Bill 611 (2021): the variable-formula amendment

By 2021, the flat 7% cap enacted by SB 608 had faced criticism from both sides. Landlord groups argued that a flat 7% cap during a period of rising material costs, insurance, and property taxes was insufficient to maintain building profitability. Tenant advocates noted that 7% was still substantially higher than actual inflation and did not prevent significant real-income losses for low-income renters. The compromise embodied in SB 611 was a variable cap tied to inflation, with a 7% floor (preserving the original SB 608 baseline in low-inflation years) and a 10% ceiling (preventing the cap from becoming meaningless in high-inflation years).

SB 611 was signed July 27, 2021 and took effect January 1, 2022. It amended ORS §90.323(1) to define the maximum annual rent increase as: the lesser of (a) 10% or (b) 7% plus the 12-month percentage change in the CPI for All Urban Consumers in the West Region, not seasonally adjusted, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the 12-month period ending in September of the prior calendar year. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is responsible for calculating and publishing the annual cap each October.

SB 611 made no changes to the coverage exemptions (15-year CoC, single-family, federally subsidized), the just-cause framework (ORS §90.427), the local preemption provision (ORS §90.600), or the notice requirement (ORS §90.220). Its effect was purely arithmetical: the cap became a variable number rather than a fixed one.

Annual cap history under SB 611 (2022–2026)

Year	Cap	CPI-U West (Sept prior yr, 12-mo)	Formula	Ceiling applied?
2019	7.0%	—	Flat 7% (SB 608)	N/A
2020	7.0%	—	Flat 7% (SB 608)	N/A
2021	7.0%	—	Flat 7% (SB 608)	N/A
2022	9.9%	~2.9%	7% + 2.9% = 9.9%	No
2023	10.0%	~8.2%	7% + 8.2% = 15.2% → ceiling	Yes
2024	10.0%	~4.1%	7% + 4.1% = 11.1% → ceiling	Yes
2025	9.9%	~2.9%	7% + 2.9% = 9.9%	No
2026	9.5%	~2.5%	7% + 2.5% = 9.5%	No

Source: Oregon Housing and Community Services annual cap announcements; CPI-U West data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2023 and 2024 ceiling figures are rounded; actual CPI-U West for those years well exceeded 3%, producing formula results above 10% that were capped.

Who is covered by ORS §90.323

The default rule: all residential tenancies

ORS §90.323 applies to all landlords and tenants in residential rental agreements within Oregon, subject to the exemptions described below. Unlike California AB 1482 (which requires 15+ units and excludes single-family homes across the board) or NYC's rent stabilization law (which requires pre-1974 construction and 6+ units in New York City), Oregon's ORS §90.323 has no minimum unit count. A landlord with a single covered rental unit — say, a 1950s duplex in Salem — is subject to the 9.5% cap in 2026. A landlord with 200 units in a 2005 Portland apartment building is entirely exempt.

This is a significant structural difference from most U.S. rent-control frameworks, which use a unit threshold to exclude small “mom and pop” landlords. Oregon's approach captures small landlords but exempts new construction regardless of scale.

The 15-year new-construction rolling exemption

The most consequential exemption under ORS §90.323 is the 15-year rolling new-construction exemption. A dwelling unit is exempt from the rent cap if the first certificate of occupancy (CoC) for the building in which the unit is located was issued within the 15 years immediately preceding the date the rent increase takes effect. The exemption is evaluated at the time of each rent increase — not at the time the tenancy began — and expires automatically when a building's first CoC crosses the 15-year mark.

For rent increases taking effect in 2026:

• First CoC issued January 1, 2011 or later: exempt in 2026
• First CoC issued December 31, 2010 or earlier: covered in 2026

The year 2026 is therefore a significant threshold for buildings with 2011 first-CoC dates. A building that received its first CoC in March 2011 was exempt from ORS §90.323 through 2025. Beginning January 1, 2026 — when any rent increase on that building takes effect on or after that date — the building crosses the 15-year mark and becomes covered. The Pearl District in Portland has a notable graduating cohort of 2010–2011 first-CoC buildings that are entering coverage in 2025–2026.

What counts as the “first certificate of occupancy”? Oregon courts and OHCS have interpreted this to mean the initial occupancy permit issued upon completion of the building's original construction — not a subsequent renovation, addition, or change-of-use permit. A 1975 apartment building that was gutted and renovated in 2018 has a first CoC from 1975 and has been covered since 2019. A 2008 apartment building that added a rooftop terrace in 2015 has a first CoC from 2008 and became covered in 2023.

How to verify first CoC date: Oregon county assessors' offices and county building permit departments maintain first CoC records. In Portland, the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) online permit database (permits.portland.gov) allows searches by address. In Salem, the City of Salem Building & Safety Division maintains permit records. In Eugene, Lane County Assessment & Taxation records include construction year data cross-referenced with Lane County building permits. Landlords uncertain about their building's CoC date should search these records before assuming exemption.

Single-family home and condominium exemption

A landlord who rents a single-family home, a condominium unit, or any other detached dwelling may exempt that property from ORS §90.323 and ORS §90.427 by providing the tenant with a written exemption notice under ORS §90.303. The notice must clearly state that the property is not subject to ORS §90.323 (the rent cap) and ORS §90.427 (just-cause eviction protections). The notice must be provided at or before the time the tenant enters into the rental agreement. A landlord who fails to provide the ORS §90.303 notice at lease inception loses the exemption; the property is treated as a covered unit even if it is a single-family home.

This is a one-time election: if the notice is provided and the tenant acknowledges receipt, the property remains exempt for the duration of that tenancy and all subsequent tenancies (assuming the notice is provided to each new tenant). If the landlord omits the notice for a particular tenant, the landlord cannot retroactively apply the exemption to that tenancy.

Oregon's single-family exemption is broader than California's under AB 1482, which exempts single-family homes only if the landlord provides notice but also requires the owner to be a natural person (LLCs and corporations cannot use the CA single-family exemption). Oregon places no such entity-type restriction — an LLC-owned single-family rental home qualifies for the ORS §90.303 exemption if the notice is properly provided.

Other exemptions

Federally subsidized housing: Units whose rents are set or regulated by a federal program — including HUD Section 8 project-based rental assistance contracts, LIHTC properties with regulatory agreements, and public housing — are exempt from ORS §90.323 because federal contract terms already control permissible rent levels.

Manufactured and floating homes: Manufactured dwellings and floating homes in spaces rented from a landlord are governed by ORS §§90.505–90.850 (the Manufactured Dwelling and Floating Home Tenancy statute), which has its own rent increase provisions separate from ORS §90.323. The SB 611 cap does not apply to manufactured home park spaces.

Housing owned or managed by a government entity: Public housing managed by a housing authority is exempt. Oregon Housing and Community Services–managed units have separate rent-setting authority.

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): ADUs are subject to ORS §90.323 if the building — meaning the primary structure on the parcel — has a first CoC more than 15 years old. A 1960 main house with a 2020 ADU addition: the main structure's first CoC (1960) governs; the main house is covered. The ADU was issued its own building permit in 2020 but is treated as part of the original parcel structure for ORS §90.323 purposes if it is attached or if the county issues a single CoC for the parcel. Detached ADUs with their own distinct CoC may be treated differently — landlords in this situation should consult the county building department records.

The 9.5% cap: how to calculate your 2026 maximum increase

The arithmetic

The ORS §90.323 cap applies to each covered dwelling unit independently. The calculation is straightforward: multiply the tenant's current monthly rent by 1.095. The result is the maximum monthly rent you may charge beginning on the effective date of the increase. You may charge less than the maximum — nothing in ORS §90.323 requires a landlord to take the full cap — but you may not charge more.

The cap applies to the gross monthly rent charged under the rental agreement. It does not apply separately to individual line items (parking, storage, pet fees) that are included in the rent as defined in ORS §90.100(38). If your rental agreement charges $1,400/month rent plus $75/month parking as a separate line item for a total of $1,475/month, the 9.5% cap applies to $1,475 — the total monthly amount due under the rental agreement.

Dollar impact table at 2026 rent levels

Current monthly rent	9.5% increase amount	New maximum rent	Annual impact on tenant
$800	+$76.00	$876.00	+$912/yr
$950	+$90.25	$1,040.25	+$1,083/yr
$1,100	+$104.50	$1,204.50	+$1,254/yr
$1,300	+$123.50	$1,423.50	+$1,482/yr
$1,500	+$142.50	$1,642.50	+$1,710/yr
$1,800	+$171.00	$1,971.00	+$2,052/yr
$2,100	+$199.50	$2,299.50	+$2,394/yr
$2,500	+$237.50	$2,737.50	+$2,850/yr

Dollar amounts reflect 9.5% × current rent. Rounding to nearest cent per ORS §90.323. Portland landlords: if the increase keeps rent at or below a 10% increase threshold, no RROA relocation assistance obligation arises. For Portland units already at market rents near the 10% boundary, keeping the increase at exactly 9.5% may keep the landlord below the RROA trigger while still capturing the full ORS §90.323 cap.

The 12-month measurement period

ORS §90.323 caps rent increases at 9.5% within any 12-month period — not per calendar year. This means: if a landlord raises rent by 5% in March 2026, the landlord may not raise rent again until March 2027, and may not raise the combined March 2026 + March 2027 increases above 9.5% + whatever the 2027 cap is. The 12-month window runs from the effective date of the most recent increase. Rolling the measurement period prevents landlords from structuring partial increases twice in a calendar year to circumvent the annual cap.

No banking of unused increases

ORS §90.323 contains no banking provision. If a landlord did not raise rent by 9.5% in 2025, the unused portion of the 2025 cap does not carry forward to 2026. This contrasts with Washington DC's Rental Housing Act (D.C. Code §42-3502.08(g)), which expressly permits landlords to bank unused portions of prior years' permissible increases for up to five years. Oregon landlords who missed a rent increase year cannot retroactively apply prior years' caps in addition to the current year's 9.5%. Each 12-month window stands alone.

Notice requirements: 90 days in writing (ORS §90.220)

The 90-day rule for month-to-month tenancies

Senate Bill 608 (2019) amended ORS §90.220 to require 90 days' advance written notice for any rent increase in a month-to-month residential tenancy. This is a significant extension from the pre-SB 608 requirement of 30 days and is one of the most operationally important changes in Oregon landlord-tenant law over the past decade.

The 90-day notice requirement applies to all rent increases in month-to-month tenancies — not just those above a certain percentage threshold. A 2% increase on a month-to-month lease requires 90 days' notice. A 9.5% increase requires 90 days' notice. The amount of the increase does not shorten or extend the required notice period.

The practical implication: if a Portland landlord wants a rent increase to take effect September 1, 2026, the written notice must be served by June 3, 2026 (90 days before September 1). Planning for rent increases must occur several months in advance to meet this requirement.

Fixed-term tenancy notice mechanics

For fixed-term leases (with a defined beginning and ending date), the rent is set for the duration of the lease term. The landlord may not increase rent mid-term on a fixed-term lease unless the lease expressly provides for mid-term increases. At lease renewal or conversion to month-to-month, the landlord may increase the rent subject to ORS §90.323's cap. For fixed-term leases converting to month-to-month at expiration, the landlord must provide 90-day notice of any post-expiration rent increase before the fixed term ends — the notice cannot be served after expiration and then counted forward from that date.

Form and method of notice

Under ORS §90.155, a written notice of rent increase must state: (a) the amount of the new rent; (b) the date the new rent takes effect; and (c) for Portland tenants whose increase exceeds 10%, the relocation assistance amount and payment timing. The notice may be delivered by: (1) personal delivery to the tenant; (2) first-class mail, in which case three calendar days are added to the required notice period (a 90-day notice served by mail must be sent 93 days before the effective date); or (3) electronic means (email or text) only if the tenant has provided written consent to receive notices electronically in the rental agreement or in a separate signed document.

Notice by posting on the door is not permitted for rent increase notices under Oregon law (unlike some jurisdictions that allow “nail and mail” or posted notice). Notice via email without prior written tenant consent is ineffective and does not start the 90-day clock.

Just-cause eviction under ORS §90.427

Structure of Oregon's just-cause framework

Oregon's just-cause eviction law operates on a two-phase framework keyed to the length of the tenancy. During the first 12 months of a tenancy, a landlord may terminate a month-to-month rental agreement without cause by providing the appropriate advance notice (30 days for most month-to-month tenancies, or as specified in the rental agreement). After the tenancy has continued for 12 months or more, no-cause termination is substantially restricted.

This structure reflects a policy choice: new tenancies have a trial period in which either party may exit without cause, but once a tenant has established residency for a year, the economic and social disruption of displacement justifies requiring a specific reason for termination.

Year one: no-cause termination permitted with proper notice

During the first 12 months of a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord may terminate the rental agreement without cause by serving written notice of: 30 days if the landlord has not accepted rent for the following rental period; or 30 days in most standard circumstances. For fixed-term leases, the tenancy ends at the conclusion of the term without notice. A landlord who wishes a fixed-term tenant not to continue into a month-to-month holdover must provide written notice of non-renewal before the lease expires.

Note that even during the first year, the ORS §90.323 rent cap applies to rent increases. Year-one status allows no-cause termination but does not allow above-cap rent increases.

After year one: for-cause termination only (with limited exceptions)

After 12 months of continuous tenancy, ORS §90.427(4) limits the landlord to termination for one of the following enumerated for-cause grounds:

1. Non-payment of rent (ORS §90.394): A landlord may serve a 72-hour (3-day) notice of termination for non-payment of rent. The tenant has 72 hours to pay in full and cure the default. If the tenant pays within the cure period, the notice is void. A landlord may not serve more than two 72-hour notices for non-payment in any 12-month period before the tenant’s right to cure is extinguished (a third non-payment default in 12 months is non-curable under ORS §90.392(4)).
2. Material violation of the rental agreement (ORS §90.392): A landlord may serve a 30-day notice to cure for a material lease violation (unauthorized pets, unauthorized occupants, excessive noise after written warning, failure to maintain the unit, prohibited alterations, subletting without consent, etc.). If the tenant cures the violation within 30 days, the notice is void. For a repeat violation of the same type within 6 months, the cure period is reduced to 14 days. A second repeat of the same violation within 12 months of the first repeat carries no cure right.
3. Outrageous conduct / threat to person or property (ORS §90.396): Allows immediate 24-hour termination without cure for conduct including: physical assault or threat of assault; intentional damage to the property; conduct that constitutes a criminal offense threatening the safety of others; possession of a controlled substance in violation of ORS §475 in circumstances constituting a crime.
4. Unlawful business on the premises: Drug manufacturing, prostitution, or other crimes on the premises may be grounds for 24-hour notice.
5. Unauthorized subletting or assignment: If the rental agreement prohibits subletting and the tenant subleases or assigns without landlord consent.
6. Landlord intent to demolish, substantially rehabilitate, or change use of the dwelling (ORS §90.427(3)(c)): Requires 90-day notice and payment of one month’s relocation assistance to the tenant.
7. Landlord or immediate family member to occupy the unit as primary residence (ORS §90.427(3)(d)): Requires 90-day notice and payment of one month’s relocation assistance. Landlord must occupy within 90 days of the tenant vacating and must maintain the unit as primary residence for at least 12 months.
8. Sale of the dwelling to a buyer who intends to occupy as primary residence (ORS §90.427(3)(e)): Requires 90-day notice and payment of one month’s relocation assistance. Available only if the property is sold with the unit vacant; the landlord cannot use this ground to evict a tenant for a sale to an investor who will re-rent the unit.
9. Government order to vacate: If a government agency has ordered the building vacated for habitability, safety, or code violations, the landlord may terminate all tenancies with whatever notice the order requires.

No-cause termination after year one: permitted but expensive

ORS §90.427(5) preserves a limited no-cause termination right after year one, but at a significant cost: the landlord must provide 90 days' written notice and pay the tenant one month’s current rent as relocation assistance, delivered at the time the notice is served. This no-cause-with-compensation option is structurally similar to the termination-for-demolition grounds — the landlord can always exit the relationship after year one, but doing so without an enumerated cause requires payment.

The economic implication is important: a Portland landlord who wants to replace a below-market tenant with a new tenant at market rent faces the combined cost of: (a) one month’s relocation assistance for the no-cause termination; (b) potentially Portland RROA relocation assistance if the replacement-rent increase on the new tenancy exceeds 10% of the old tenant’s rent; plus (c) rental income lost during the turnover period. In many cases, the economics of tenant replacement for rent-escalation purposes are negative even when ORS §90.323 would otherwise allow a 9.5% increase on the new tenant.

Just-cause and the rent cap: the complete picture

The interaction of ORS §90.323 (rent cap) and ORS §90.427 (just-cause eviction) closes the two most common landlord workarounds for rent-control regimes. Without the rent cap, a landlord subject to just-cause eviction rules could raise rents to unaffordable levels to force a de facto vacancy. Without just-cause protections, a landlord subject to the rent cap could terminate a long-tenancy tenant and reset the rent to market on the replacement tenancy. Oregon's framework blocks both strategies simultaneously. The combination was deliberate: the 2019 Legislature understood that a rent cap without just-cause protections would be ineffective, and vice versa.

The Pearl District graduating cohort: 2011 CoC buildings entering ORS §90.323 in 2026

Portland’s Pearl District — the former warehouse and rail district northwest of downtown along NW 10th and 11th Avenues, bounded roughly by the Willamette River to the east, Burnside Street to the south, I-405 to the west, and Lovejoy Street to the north — underwent its most intensive residential development phase in the 2005–2012 period. The neighborhood transformed from industrial warehouses and surface parking into high-rise and mid-rise residential towers during this period, driven by Portland Development Commission (now Prosper Portland) urban renewal investment and the expansion of the Portland Streetcar.

Buildings in the Pearl District that received their first certificates of occupancy in 2011 crossed the 15-year ORS §90.323 coverage threshold on January 1, 2026. This is the Pearl District’s most significant regulatory transition since the neighborhood’s construction era: units that have been market-rate for their entire existence now face a 9.5% annual cap on rent increases for the first time.

The Pearl District graduating cohort is notable for several reasons. First, these buildings tend to have above-average rents even by Portland standards — studios at $1,500–$1,800/month, one-bedrooms at $2,000–$2,600/month, two-bedrooms at $2,700–$3,500/month. At $2,200/month, a 9.5% cap limits the annual increase to $209/month — material for tenants who have occupied units since 2011–2015. Second, many of these buildings are owned by institutional landlords (REITs, private equity, and regional developers) who have historically targeted market-rate rent growth above what ORS §90.323 now permits on covered units. Third, the RROA interaction is particularly acute: Pearl District landlords who raise above 10% face 3-month relocation assistance payments on tenants who have often been in place for 5–10 years at rents significantly below current market.

Pearl District landlords: if your building received its first CoC in 2010 or 2011, you should determine your exact CoC date from BDS Portland records. Buildings with January–June 2011 first CoCs entered coverage January 1, 2026. Buildings with July–December 2011 first CoCs may still be exempt through mid-2026 but will enter coverage before year-end. The 15-year calculation runs from the exact CoC date, not the calendar year.

Portland: the two-layer framework (ORS §90.323 + Portland RROA)

Why Portland is different from every other Oregon city

Every Oregon city outside Portland applies only ORS §90.323: if your building’s first CoC is more than 15 years old, the 9.5% cap applies to rent increases; if not, you can raise rent freely. Eugene landlords, Salem landlords, Bend landlords — all operate under a one-layer system.

Portland operates under a two-layer system. In addition to ORS §90.323, Portland’s Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (RROA, Portland City Code 30.01.085, adopted 2018 as Ordinance 188219) requires relocation assistance on any rent increase above 10% — applying to all Portland residential rental units, including those in post-2011 first-CoC buildings that are entirely exempt from ORS §90.323. For a comprehensive treatment of the Portland RROA, see our companion post: Portland RROA and Oregon’s relocation-assistance framework in 2026.

The RROA has three key operational consequences for Portland landlords:

1. The de facto 9% ceiling for most Portland landlords. Because RROA triggers at any increase above 10%, and because the financial cost of relocation assistance (1–3 months’ current rent, paid at notice service) exceeds the financial benefit of the incremental rent above 10% for most tenancy-length profiles, rational Portland landlords limit increases to 9% or 9.5% (the ORS §90.323 cap, for covered-unit landlords) to stay below the RROA trigger. For an exempt-unit landlord with a 3-year tenancy at $1,800/month, raising rent from $1,800 to $2,000 (an 11.1% increase) requires immediate payment of $5,400 (3 months × $1,800) at notice service — a break-even of 27 months at the $200/month increment, assuming the tenant stays. Staying at 9.9% ($1,978/month) avoids the RROA obligation entirely.
2. Pay-at-notice-service is Portland’s most violated requirement. The RROA payment must accompany the rent increase notice — it cannot be paid later. A landlord who serves a 90-day rent increase notice on June 1, 2026 for a September 1 effective date with an 11% increase must include the relocation assistance check or wire transfer with the June 1 notice. Paying in August or paying at move-out are both violations of PCC 30.01.085, even if the total amount eventually paid is correct. Portland Rental Services Office (PRO) treats late payment of RROA as a violation of the ordinance, not merely a timing issue.
3. RROA applies to exempt-unit landlords. A landlord with a 2018 first-CoC Pearl District high-rise who is entirely exempt from ORS §90.323 is still subject to RROA if they raise rent above 10%. The state rent cap exemption does not create a Portland RROA exemption. The only way a Portland exempt-unit landlord avoids RROA is to keep every rent increase at or below 10%.

Portland employer anchors and rental market 2026

Portland’s rental demand is anchored by a diverse employer base that sustained occupancy through the 2020–2022 pandemic period better than many comparable metros, and that has recovered strongly since 2023:

• Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU): ~20,000 employees on Marquam Hill and at the South Waterfront campus, making OHSU Portland’s largest employer. OHSU’s South Waterfront location (the Tram, NW of South Park Blocks) creates intense demand for Barbur Blvd, Lair Hill, and South Park Blocks rental housing.
• Intel Oregon (Hillsboro campus, Washington County): Oregon’s largest private employer with approximately 20,000 employees, primarily in Hillsboro but with many employees commuting from Portland proper via MAX Blue Line or I-26/US-26. Intel’s Fab 42 expansion (ongoing) is driving demand in Hillsboro, Beaverton, and suburban Washington County — but also in Portland’s inner westside neighborhoods (Slabtown, NW Portland, Goose Hollow).
• Nike, Inc. (Beaverton, Washington County): ~12,000–15,000 Oregon employees at the Beaverton campus. Nike employees are significant renters in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Portland’s West Hills and inner westside.
• Providence Health & Services Oregon: ~14,000 Oregon employees across Portland metro hospitals (Providence Portland Medical Center on NE Glisan, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Beaverton, Providence Milwaukie). Providence employees span the full geographic distribution of Portland metro housing.
• Legacy Health: ~9,000 Oregon employees (Legacy Emanuel Medical Center on N. Interstate, Legacy Good Samaritan on NW Marshall, Legacy Portland & Emanuel). Legacy Emanuel is one of the anchor institutions for the North Portland/Interstate Corridor rental market.
• Portland Public Schools: ~7,000 employees (teachers, administrators, support staff) across 81 schools. PPS employees are concentrated in inner Portland and represent a significant share of rental demand in Northeast and Southeast Portland neighborhoods (Irvington, Alameda, Laurelhurst, Hawthorne, Sellwood-Moreland).
• Portland VA Medical Center (SW Terwilliger Boulevard): ~5,000 employees. Creates rental demand in SW Portland neighborhoods (Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, South Park Blocks).
• Precision Castparts Corp: ~5,000 Portland-metro employees. The Berkshire Hathaway-owned aerospace components manufacturer has operations in NE Portland and Clackamas County.
• Portland General Electric (PGE): ~2,500 employees, HQ in downtown Portland. PGE employees are significant renters in inner SE and NE Portland.
• Fred Meyer / Kroger: ~10,000 Oregon employees across 24 Oregon stores including multiple Portland metro locations. Represents working-class and service-industry rental demand.

Portland neighborhood rent ranges and ORS §90.323 coverage by vintage (2026)

Neighborhood	Dominant building vintage	ORS §90.323 status (2026)	Typical 1BR stabilized rent	Typical 1BR market rent (exempt/new)
Pearl District (pre-2011 CoC)	2001–2010	Covered (15-yr expired)	$1,500–$2,100	$2,200–$2,800 (post-2011 exempt)
Pearl District (2011+ CoC)	2011–2019	Exempt (2026, entering coverage after CoC dates)	—	$2,000–$2,800
NW Portland / Slabtown	1950s–1990s core; 2015+ new	Pre-2011 stock: covered	$1,100–$1,500	$1,800–$2,400 (new)
Inner NE (Irvington, Alameda)	1910s–1940s Craftsman & Colonial	Covered (pre-1974 stock)	$1,000–$1,400	$1,600–$2,200 (renovated)
NE Alberta / Mississippi	1910s–1940s bungalows; 2010s infill	Pre-2011 covered; 2012+ exempt	$950–$1,300	$1,500–$2,000
SE Division / Hawthorne	1920s–1960s apartments & bungalows	Covered	$1,050–$1,450	$1,600–$2,100
SE Sellwood / Moreland	1920s–1950s residential	Covered	$1,000–$1,350	$1,500–$1,900
N Portland / Interstate	1910s–1960s mixed	Covered	$850–$1,200	$1,300–$1,700
East Portland (Lents, Powellhurst)	1950s–1980s single-family & garden apts	Covered	$800–$1,100	$1,200–$1,550
South Waterfront (OHSU campus)	2005–2018	Mixed: pre-2011 covered, post-2011 exempt	$1,600–$2,200 (covered)	$2,200–$3,000 (exempt)

Rent ranges are approximate 2026 asking rents for unfurnished 1-bedroom units in good condition. “Stabilized rent” represents units subject to ORS §90.323 with long-tenancy incumbent tenants; “market rent (exempt/new)” represents units in exempt buildings or recently vacated covered units reset to market on new tenancy. All Portland units subject to RROA if increase >10%.

Portland rental market trajectory 2020–2026

Portland experienced a notable rental market softening in 2020–2021 as the pandemic, widespread remote work adoption, and civil unrest concentrated in the Central City drove net out-migration from urban core neighborhoods. Portland’s metro vacancy rate, which had been below 3% in 2018–2019, rose to approximately 6–8% in 2021–2022, producing actual rent decreases in some neighborhoods and concessions (first month free, no deposit) in others. The Pearl District and South Waterfront saw the sharpest rent corrections.

The 2022–2024 period saw a gradual recovery as remote-work patterns stabilized, tech-sector layoffs from 2022–2023 were absorbed, and OHSU, Intel, and healthcare sector employment continued to expand. By 2024–2025, core Portland neighborhoods had largely recovered to 2019 rent levels in nominal terms, with some premium product (Pearl District, South Waterfront high-rise) exceeding 2019 peaks. Vacancy rates fell back to 3–4% in inner neighborhoods.

In 2026, Portland’s rental market is characterized by: (a) covered-unit rents growing at approximately the 9.5% cap for the first time since 2021 (landlords who held rents flat during the pandemic are catching up); (b) exempt-unit rents tracking market demand, generally at 3–7% annual growth on renewals; (c) the Pearl District graduation creating a new class of covered-unit landlords who have never operated under ORS §90.323 before; and (d) the RROA de facto ceiling keeping most landlord increases below 10%.

Salem: Oregon’s state capital under a one-layer system

ORS §90.323 as the only framework

Salem is Oregon’s state capital and the seat of Marion County, with a population of approximately 180,000 (metro area ~430,000 including Polk County). As a government-employment center, Salem’s rental market has historically been more affordable than Portland but has faced increasing pressure from Portland-metro overflow demand, particularly since 2018 as I-5 commute patterns became more viable with remote-work flexibility.

Salem has no relocation assistance ordinance. ORS §90.323 is the only rent regulation applicable in Salem. There is no RROA equivalent, no additional Portland-style overlay. A Salem landlord of a covered unit (pre-2011 first CoC, more than 15 years old) may raise rent up to 9.5% in 2026 with 90 days’ written notice, and that is the extent of state and local obligation. An exempt-unit landlord may raise rent freely.

Salem employer anchors

• State of Oregon / Oregon State Government: The State of Oregon is Salem’s dominant employer. The Oregon Legislative Assembly, Oregon Supreme Court, executive branch agencies (DHS, ODOT, ODE, ODOT, etc.) and state facilities employ approximately 10,000–14,000 workers in the Salem metro area. State employment is highly stable and distributed across income levels from administrative assistants to agency directors, producing steady rental demand across Salem’s full rent range.
• Salem Health (Salem Hospital): Approximately 5,000 employees at the 600+ bed Salem Hospital campus on Commercial Street SE, one of the largest hospitals in Oregon and the dominant healthcare employer in Marion County. Salem Health employees are significant renters in South Salem, West Salem, and the Lancaster/Pringle Creek corridors.
• Chemeketa Community College: ~1,200 faculty and staff serving approximately 30,000 credit and non-credit students annually. Chemeketa’s presence on N. Winter Street creates student-adjacent rental demand in the north-central Salem neighborhood.
• Willamette University: ~700 faculty and staff; ~3,000 undergraduate students. Located adjacent to the State Capitol and State Hospital, Willamette creates premium rental demand in close-in Salem (downtown, Mill Creek, Gaiety Hollow neighborhoods) for faculty and graduate students.
• Amazon Salem fulfillment center: ~2,000 employees at the Amazon fulfillment operation in the Salem metro industrial area. Adds working-class and logistics-sector rental demand.
• NORPAC Foods: ~2,000 seasonal and permanent employees at the Stayton (east of Salem) food processing cooperative; many employees rent in the Salem metro area.
• Oregon Department of Corrections: Oregon State Penitentiary on Center Street NE employs approximately 800–1,000 corrections officers and staff, many of whom rent in close-in NE and SE Salem.

Salem rental market 2026

Neighborhood	Building vintage	ORS §90.323 status	Typical 1BR rent
Downtown Salem / Courthouse Square	1940s–1990s mixed	Covered	$850–$1,100
South Salem (Morningside/Pringle Creek)	1950s–1970s ranch & duplex	Covered	$900–$1,200
West Salem (across Willamette)	1960s–1990s newer stock	Mixed: older covered, 2010s exempt	$950–$1,300
NE Salem / Northgate	1960s–1980s garden apartments	Covered	$800–$1,050
Silverton Road corridor	1990s–2010s	Mixed: 1990s covered, 2011+ exempt	$950–$1,250
New construction (2015+)	2015–2026	Exempt through 2030+	$1,300–$1,700

Salem’s covered-unit rents — predominantly $800–$1,200/month for a 1-bedroom — mean that the 9.5% increase amounts are proportionally larger as a share of tenant income than in Portland. A Salem renter paying $900/month faces a $85.50/month increase (9.5%), reaching $985.50/month. In a market where state-government workers and healthcare aides at the bottom of the wage scale earn $35,000–$50,000 annually, an $85/month rent increase represents a significant household budget impact. Salem tenants have the same ORS §90.323 and ORS §90.427 protections as Portland tenants; the dollar exposure at lower rent levels is smaller but the income-share impact is roughly comparable.

Eugene and Lane County: University of Oregon rental dynamics

Lane County's one-layer system

Eugene is Oregon’s second-largest city (population ~180,000) and the seat of Lane County. Like Salem, Eugene has no local relocation assistance ordinance — ORS §90.323 is the only applicable rent regulation. Eugene’s rental market is unusually bifurcated between student-oriented housing (concentrated near the University of Oregon campus in the South University and West University neighborhoods) and non-student working-class and professional housing in East Eugene, Whiteaker, Santa Clara, and the River Road area.

University of Oregon’s market impact

The University of Oregon enrolls approximately 22,000 students (undergraduate and graduate combined) and employs approximately 5,000 faculty, graduate employees, and staff. The UO’s impact on Eugene’s rental market is profound: the university creates an annual demand cycle (August–September move-in surge, May–June move-out), drives above-average vacancy in summer, and creates strong premium demand for units within walking distance of campus.

South University and West University neighborhoods — bounded by 13th Avenue to the north, 18th Avenue to the south, and the Franklin Boulevard corridor — contain the densest concentration of student-oriented housing: largely pre-1980 low-rise apartment complexes with studios and one-bedrooms at $700–$1,100/month (covered by ORS §90.323, often with very high turnover). The high-turnover nature of student housing creates an important ORS §90.323 compliance issue: each new tenancy starts the 12-month no-cause termination clock over, meaning a landlord who primarily serves one-year student leases has de facto no-cause termination rights on an annual basis. The rent cap still applies to the new student-tenant’s rent: a landlord cannot raise rent by 30% between student tenants, even though the new student’s tenancy is within its first year.

Eugene employer anchors

• University of Oregon: ~5,000 faculty and staff employed directly by the university, plus approximately 3,000–4,000 graduate teaching and research employees. UO is the dominant private-sector employer in Eugene (though publicly chartered).
• PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center: ~4,500 employees across the RiverBend (Springfield) and University District (Eugene) campuses. PeaceHealth is the largest private-sector healthcare employer in Lane County.
• Eugene School District 4J: ~3,000 employees serving approximately 15,000 students in Eugene public schools. District employees are significant renters in all Eugene neighborhoods, particularly East Eugene and South Eugene.
• Lane County government: ~1,800 employees in county government, courts, public works, and health and human services. Lane County’s offices are distributed across Eugene and Springfield.
• EWEB (Eugene Water & Electric Board): ~700 employees; the municipally-owned utility is a significant employer for technical trades and engineers in the Eugene market.
• Lane Community College: ~900 faculty and staff, serving approximately 20,000 students. LCC’s campus on 30th Avenue SE creates student rental demand in the Bethel and South Eugene neighborhoods.
• Weyerhaeuser / Georgia-Pacific (Springfield): Timber products manufacturing still employs approximately 1,000–1,500 workers in the Eugene-Springfield metro, concentrated in Springfield industrial areas. These workers rent in Springfield, East Eugene, and along the Beltline.

Eugene rental market 2026

Area	Building vintage	ORS §90.323 status	Typical 1BR rent
South University / West University	1960s–1980s student apts	Covered	$700–$1,000
Whiteaker	1920s–1960s mixed	Covered	$850–$1,150
Downtown Eugene core	1970s–2000s mixed	Pre-2011: covered; 2011+: exempt	$950–$1,300
East Eugene / Fairmount Hills	1950s–1990s ranch and duplex	Covered	$850–$1,150
Santa Clara / River Road	1960s–1990s garden apartments	Covered	$800–$1,100
Springfield (Emerald settlement area)	1970s–2000s	Pre-2011 covered; 2011+ exempt	$800–$1,050
New construction (Eugene/Springfield 2015+)	2015–2026	Exempt through 2030+	$1,250–$1,650

Eugene’s covered-unit rents are the lowest of Oregon’s major rental markets in absolute dollar terms, reflecting both the lower median income of the Eugene-Springfield MSA and the University of Oregon’s downward pressure on rents in student-adjacent neighborhoods. The 9.5% cap amounts are proportionally smaller at Eugene rent levels but are still significant for renters earning service-industry wages or relying on student financial aid. A Eugene renter paying $900/month faces a $85.50/month increase under the full 9.5% cap — the same dollar amount as a Salem renter at the same rent level, and significant given that the Eugene student and service-worker renter population is concentrated at lower income levels.

Bend and Central Oregon: the mostly-exempt market

Oregon’s fastest-growing metro and why most of it is exempt

Bend (population ~100,000, Deschutes County) is Oregon’s fastest-growing major city, having experienced rapid population growth from approximately 52,000 in 2010 to over 100,000 in 2026. This growth was driven by: the outdoor recreation economy (ski area proximity at Mt. Bachelor, summer and shoulder-season outdoor sports); remote-work migration during the 2020–2022 pandemic period; and the expansion of healthcare (St. Charles Health System) and logistics employment.

Bend’s growth trajectory has a direct consequence for ORS §90.323: the majority of Bend’s housing stock was constructed after 2010. Deschutes County issued more building permits in the 2010–2020 decade than in all prior decades combined for most categories of residential construction. The result is that most of Bend’s rental housing — particularly the apartment construction of 2012–2024 — is exempt from ORS §90.323 because the first CoC postdates 2010. Covered units (pre-2011 CoC) in Bend represent a small minority of the rental stock, concentrated in older neighborhoods near downtown (Drake Park area, Wall Street corridor) and in vintage 1980s–2000s garden apartment complexes.

Bend employer anchors

• St. Charles Health System: ~4,000 employees at the St. Charles Bend medical center campus and satellite clinics across Deschutes County. St. Charles is the dominant private-sector employer in Bend and the primary anchor of healthcare rental demand.
• Mt. Bachelor (operated by Powdr Corp): ~2,000 seasonal and full-time employees during ski season; full-time operations staff year-round. Mt. Bachelor employees are a significant share of the Bend rental market, particularly lower-wage service and hospitality workers who commute from affordable stock near the Old Mill District.
• Les Schwab Tire Centers: Headquartered in Bend (~1,000 HQ employees; ~7,000 total Pacific Northwest); the HQ campus on SW 23rd Street is a significant Bend employer driving professional-class rental demand.
• Oregon State University–Cascades Campus: OSU-Cascades in Bend has grown from a small branch campus to an increasingly independent university with approximately 1,200 students and 300 faculty and staff. Its growth trajectory (targeting 5,000 students by the late 2020s) will increase student rental demand in Bend over the coming decade.
• Deschutes County government: ~1,200 employees across county departments. Government employment is a stabilizing rental demand base in Bend.
• Deschutes Brewery and the broader craft beverage industry: The Bend craft brewery cluster (Deschutes, Boneyard, Boss Rambler, and others) employs approximately 500–800 workers and is part of the broader tourism-and-hospitality employment base that characterizes Bend’s economy.

Bend rental market: primarily market-rate, exemption-dominant

Area	Building vintage	ORS §90.323 status	Typical 1BR rent
Downtown Bend / Drake Park	1950s–1990s mixed	Covered (pre-2011)	$1,100–$1,500
Old Mill District / West Bend	2005–2015 mixed-use	Pre-2011 covered; 2011+ exempt	$1,400–$2,000
NE Bend / Woodriver Village	2010–2020 new construction dominant	Mostly exempt through 2025+	$1,500–$2,100
SE Bend / Larkspur	2015–2026 subdivision and apartment	Exempt through 2030+	$1,600–$2,200
Redmond (north of Bend)	1990s–2015 mixed	Pre-2011 covered; 2011+ exempt	$1,050–$1,400
Sisters / Prineville	1980s–2010s	Mostly covered (older stock)	$900–$1,200

Bend’s exempt-market dominance means that most Bend renters do not benefit from ORS §90.323 in 2026. For the minority of Bend renters in pre-2011 CoC units — concentrated in older downtown neighborhoods and vintage garden apartment complexes — the 9.5% cap provides the same protection it provides elsewhere in Oregon. For the majority in exempt stock, rent is market-determined. Bend’s rapid growth has produced a rental market where 1BR units in newer construction command $1,500–$2,200/month — among the highest in Oregon outside the Pearl District.

Oregon SB 611 vs. other major U.S. rent-control frameworks

Jurisdiction	Annual cap (2026)	Coverage threshold	New construction exemption	Banking	Just-cause eviction	Vacancy control
Oregon SB 611	9.5% (7% + CPI-U West)	All units (no minimum count)	15-yr rolling CoC	No	Yes (ORS §90.427, after yr 1)	No (market reset at vacancy)
California AB 1482	CPI+5%, max 10% (2026: ~7.7%)	15+ units; built 1978+; multi-family	15-yr rolling CoC	No explicit provision	Yes (after 12 months)	No
Washington HB 1217	9.683% (7% + 2.683% CPI-U W)	All units (no minimum count)	10-yr rolling CoC	No	No statewide just-cause (cities may enact)	No
NYC Rent Stabilization Law	2.75% (1-yr) / 5.25% (2-yr) RGB Order #57	Pre-1974, 6+ units	Pre-1974 cutoff (not rolling)	No (9 NYCRR §2522.5)	Yes (8 grounds, RSL §26-511)	No (market reset at vacancy post-HSTPA: no vacancy bonus)
DC Rental Housing Act	4.1% (standard); 2.1% (elderly/disability) RY 2026	Pre-1976 first CoC; 5+ units or non-natural-person owner	Pre-1976 cutoff (not rolling)	Yes (§42-3502.08(g), up to 70% banked)	Yes (10 grounds, §42-3505.01)	No
Minneapolis Ch. 244	3% per year	All units	First CoC on or after March 1, 2022	No	No (state preempts cities)	Yes (hard vacancy control — ceiling carries over at tenant turnover)

Oregon’s framework is notable for: the absence of any unit-count threshold (all covered units are covered regardless of building size); the variable cap formula (9.5% in 2026) that is significantly higher than NYC (2.75%/5.25%) and DC (4.1%) but comparable to CA and WA; the paired just-cause protections under ORS §90.427; and the absence of banking provisions. The 15-year rolling exemption is Oregon’s primary development incentive — the same design used by CA AB 1482 and WA HB 1217 — though shorter than DC’s pre-1976 cutoff and significantly more favorable to new construction than NYC’s pre-1974 fixed cutoff.

Landlord compliance checklist: 8 steps for Oregon rent increases in 2026

1. Verify first CoC date and coverage status. Search your county’s building permit database for your building’s first certificate of occupancy date. For Portland, use BDS Online (permits.portland.gov). If first CoC ≤ December 31, 2010: your building is covered by ORS §90.323 in 2026. If first CoC ≥ January 1, 2011: your building is currently exempt, but if the CoC date is in 2011, verify the exact date — some 2011 buildings have become covered mid-year 2026 as their 15-year anniversary passes.
2. If single-family or condo, verify ORS §90.303 notice was provided. If your rental is a single-family home or individual condominium and you wish to claim the single-family exemption, confirm that you provided the required ORS §90.303 written notice at or before the tenant’s lease execution. If you did not, the property is treated as a covered unit for this tenancy. You can provide the notice to future tenants.
3. Calculate the 9.5% maximum and set your target increase. Multiply current monthly rent by 0.095 to find the maximum increase amount. Add to current rent to find the maximum allowable new rent. Decide whether to take the full cap or a lesser amount. Document the calculation.
4. Determine whether Portland RROA applies. If your property is in Portland city limits (check portlandmaps.com for city boundary confirmation): does your proposed increase exceed 10%? If yes, calculate relocation assistance (1–3 months’ current rent based on tenancy length) and prepare the payment to accompany the notice. If your increase is 10% or less, RROA does not apply. Note: a 9.5% increase does not trigger RROA.
5. Calculate the correct 90-day notice date. For month-to-month tenancies: count backward 90 days from your desired effective date to determine the latest date you can serve notice. Add 3 days if serving by mail. Example: increase effective September 1, 2026 → notice must be served by June 3, 2026 (or May 31, 2026 if mailed). Do not serve notice after the calculated deadline and expect a September 1 effective date.
6. Draft the written notice with required elements. The notice must state: (a) the new monthly rent amount; (b) the effective date; (c) for Portland RROA notices, the relocation assistance amount and the fact that payment accompanies the notice. The notice should be on letterhead or clearly attributed to the landlord, identify the property by address and unit number, and be signed by or on behalf of the landlord.
7. Serve the notice by a legally effective method. Personal delivery: count 90 days forward from service date to confirm effective date. First-class mail: count 90 days + 3 days (93 days) forward from mailing date. Electronic delivery: only if tenant has provided written consent in the rental agreement or separately. Do not rely on door posting or verbal notice. Retain proof of service (certified mail receipt, personal service acknowledgment, electronic delivery receipt).
8. Retain records for six years. Maintain copies of: the rent increase notice (with proof of service), the calculation of the 9.5% maximum, any Portland RROA relocation assistance payment record (check copy, bank transfer confirmation), and the tenant’s current rental agreement showing the pre-increase rent. ORS §90.323(7) civil actions have a 6-year statute of limitations under Oregon’s general contract limitations period (ORS §12.080). Keep records accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

What is Oregon’s rent cap for 2026?

Oregon’s statewide rent cap for calendar year 2026 — applying to rent increases that take effect between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026 — is 9.5% under ORS §90.323. The cap was calculated using the formula established by Senate Bill 611 (2021): the lesser of 10% or 7% plus the 12-month change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers in the West Region (CPI-U West), not seasonally adjusted, measured through September 2025. With CPI-U West running at approximately 2.5% for the September 2024–September 2025 period, the formula yields 7% + 2.5% = 9.5% — below the 10% statutory ceiling. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) announces the annual cap each October for the following calendar year. The cap applies to covered residential rental units statewide. Buildings where the first certificate of occupancy was issued within the prior 15 years are exempt. Portland landlords face an additional layer: Portland’s Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (RROA, PCC 30.01.085) requires payment of one to three months’ relocation assistance for any increase above 10% — even on ORS §90.323-exempt post-2011 CoC buildings — creating a rational economic ceiling of approximately 9% for most Portland landlords regardless of whether their building is technically covered.

How is Oregon’s 9.5% rent cap for 2026 calculated?

The formula for Oregon’s annual rent cap is established at ORS §90.323(1)(b) as amended by Senate Bill 611 (2021): the maximum annual rent increase is the lesser of (a) 10% or (b) 7% plus the 12-month percentage change in the CPI for All Urban Consumers in the West Region, not seasonally adjusted, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period ending in September of the prior calendar year. For the 2026 cap, Oregon Housing and Community Services measured the CPI-U West change from September 2024 to September 2025. With that change running at approximately 2.5%, the calculation is: 7% + 2.5% = 9.5%. Because 9.5% is below the 10% ceiling, the ceiling does not apply and the 2026 cap is 9.5%. The 7% floor in the formula means that even if CPI-U West were negative, the cap would still be at least 7%. The formula was amended by SB 611 from the original flat 7% cap enacted by SB 608 in 2019; the 2022 cap (first year under the SB 611 formula) was 9.9%, reflecting a CPI-U West reading of approximately 2.9%. In 2023 and 2024, when CPI-U West exceeded 3%, the formula produced a cap above 10%, so the ceiling applied. In 2025 and 2026, with inflation moderating, the cap has fallen to 9.9% and 9.5% respectively.

Is my Oregon rental property exempt from the 9.5% rent cap?

ORS §90.323 exempts several categories of residential rental housing from the statewide rent cap. The most important exemption is the 15-year new-construction exemption: a dwelling unit is exempt from ORS §90.323 if the first certificate of occupancy for the building was issued within the 15 years immediately preceding the date the rent increase takes effect. For increases taking effect in 2026, any building with a first CoC issued on January 1, 2011 or later is exempt. Other exemptions include: single-family homes and condominiums where the landlord has provided a written ORS §90.303 exemption notice to the tenant at lease inception; government-subsidized housing where rents are regulated by a government program (HUD Section 8 project-based, LIHTC, public housing); and manufactured or floating homes governed by ORS §§90.505–90.850. Note that in Portland, even buildings exempt from ORS §90.323 are subject to Portland’s RROA (PCC 30.01.085) if the landlord raises rent above 10% — the state exemption from the rent cap does not exempt the landlord from Portland’s relocation assistance obligation.

How much notice do I need to give for a rent increase in Oregon in 2026?

Oregon requires 90 days’ advance written notice for any rent increase in a month-to-month residential tenancy under ORS §90.220, as amended by SB 608 (2019). This 90-day requirement applies to all rent increases regardless of amount — a 2% increase requires the same 90-day notice as a 9.5% increase. For fixed-term leases, the landlord may increase rent at lease renewal subject to the ORS §90.323 cap. Under ORS §90.155, written notice may be delivered by: personal delivery; first-class mail (add 3 days to the required period); or electronic means only if the tenant has agreed in writing to receive electronic notices. Notice by door posting is not effective for rent increase notices. Portland landlords: if the increase exceeds 10%, the RROA relocation assistance payment must accompany the notice at service — not arrive later.

What is the difference between Oregon SB 608 (2019) and SB 611 (2021)?

Oregon SB 608 (signed February 28, 2019, effective immediately) was Oregon’s landmark first statewide rent control and just-cause eviction law. SB 608’s key provisions: ORS §90.323 capped rent increases at a flat 7% per year; ORS §90.427 expanded just-cause eviction protections after the first year of tenancy; and ORS §90.600 preempted local rent-control ordinances while carving out an exception for local relocation assistance ordinances. SB 608 also required 90 days’ notice for rent increases in month-to-month tenancies. Oregon SB 611 (signed July 27, 2021, effective January 1, 2022) made one substantive change: it amended the ORS §90.323 cap formula from a flat 7% to the current variable formula: the lesser of 10% or 7% plus the 12-month CPI-U West change. SB 611 left ORS §90.427, ORS §90.600, and the coverage exemptions unchanged. The practical effect: the cap now fluctuates annually with inflation (9.9% in 2022, 10% in 2023–2024, 9.9% in 2025, 9.5% in 2026) rather than remaining at a fixed 7%.

Does Portland’s RROA apply even if my building is exempt from Oregon’s 9.5% rent cap?

Yes. Portland’s Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (RROA, Portland City Code 30.01.085, adopted 2018) applies to all residential rental units within Portland city limits regardless of whether the building is exempt from ORS §90.323’s 9.5% state cap. A landlord with a 2018 first-CoC Portland building (exempt from ORS §90.323 through at least 2033) is not subject to the state rent cap but is still subject to RROA: if that landlord raises rent by more than 10% in a rolling 12-month period, RROA triggers and the landlord must pay relocation assistance to the tenant at the time the notice is served. The relocation assistance amount: 1 month’s current rent for tenancies under 1 year; 1.5 months’ for 1–2 years; 2 months’ for 2–3 years; 3 months’ for 3+ years. The economic consequence creates a rational incentive to stay at or below 9% for most Portland landlords — exempt-unit landlords who raise to 10.5% face a 3-month relocation payment worth 28+ months of break-even at the incremental rent amount. See our full RROA analysis: Portland RROA 2026.

What happens if I raise rent above 9.5% on a covered Oregon unit?

Under ORS §90.323(7), a rent increase notice that exceeds the applicable annual cap is unenforceable as to the excess. The tenant may pay only the lawful capped amount — the prior rent plus up to 9.5% — and is not in default of the tenancy for refusing to pay the unlawful excess. The landlord may not commence eviction proceedings for non-payment of the above-cap amount. The tenant may bring a civil action to recover: (a) actual damages (any excess amounts collected); (b) three months’ rent as a mandatory civil penalty; (c) attorney fees and court costs; and (d) other appropriate relief. The three-months’-rent penalty is mandatory and does not require actual excess collection — the unenforceable notice itself triggers liability. For Portland landlords: if the above-cap increase also exceeds 10%, both ORS §90.323(7) liability and the Portland RROA obligation run concurrently from the same notice.

How does Oregon’s just-cause eviction law interact with the rent cap?

Oregon’s just-cause eviction framework (ORS §90.427, enacted by SB 608 in 2019) and the rent cap (ORS §90.323) are companion statutes that close the two most common workarounds for rent-control regimes. Without the rent cap, a landlord subject to just-cause rules could raise rents to unaffordable levels to force a constructive vacancy. Without just-cause protections, a landlord subject to the rent cap could terminate a long-tenancy tenant and reset the rent to market on the replacement tenancy. Oregon’s framework blocks both strategies: after 12 months, no-cause termination requires 90 days’ notice plus one month’s relocation assistance, making it economically unattractive as a rent-escalation tool; and the rent cap prevents above-cap increases on existing tenancies. The two statutes work together: ORS §90.427 prevents displacement as a workaround for ORS §90.323, and ORS §90.323 prevents above-cap rent increases as a substitute for eviction.