Portland rent control 2026 Oregon SB 611 (ORS §90.323): 2026 cap 9.5% (7% + West Region CPI-U, below 10% ceiling). No Portland-specific RSO — Oregon preempts stricter local caps since SB 608. Portland Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (PCC 30.01.085) triggers at 10%+ increase or no-cause eviction. 15-year first-CoC exemption: pre-2011 buildings covered; Pearl District 2010–2011 buildings graduating into coverage now. 90-day notice (ORS §90.323(3)). Multnomah County Circuit Court for enforcement.

Portland’s 2026 cap: Oregon SB 611 formula and the West Region CPI-U

Under ORS §90.323(1), the maximum annual rent increase for a covered Portland residential unit is the lesser of:

1. 7.0% plus the percentage change in the West Region Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the 12-month period ending September 30 of the prior year; OR
2. 10.0% absolute ceiling (added by SB 611 in 2023; the prior SB 608 formula had no ceiling).

For 2026, the West Region CPI-U for the 12-month period ending September 2025 was approximately 2.5%. Calculation: 7% + 2.5% = 9.5%, below the 10% ceiling. Portland’s 2026 Oregon rent cap is 9.5%. The Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) published this figure on or before September 30, 2025 under the ORS §90.323(1) publication requirement.

Why Portland and Eugene and Salem have the same cap: Oregon uses a single West Region CPI-U series for all of Oregon. The “West Region” covers the entire Western United States (California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii). There is no Portland-MSA CPI, no Multnomah County adjustment, and no urban-rural differential. A covered residential unit in the Pearl District, a covered apartment on SE Division Street, and a covered rental in Eugene all face the same 9.5% cap for 2026.

The SB 608 to SB 611 transition: Oregon first enacted a statewide rent cap in 2019 via SB 608 (codified at ORS §90.323). The original SB 608 formula was 7% plus West Region CPI-U with no ceiling — which in high-CPI years would have allowed caps of 11%, 12%, or higher. SB 611, signed July 27, 2023, amended ORS §90.323 to add the 10% absolute ceiling, making the formula “the lower of 7% + CPI or 10%.” The SB 611 ceiling has been the binding constraint since its enactment: 2024 and 2025 CPI-formula outputs were both above 10%, making the 10% ceiling the operative cap in those years. For 2026, slowing West Region inflation brings the formula to 9.5%, below the ceiling.

On a $1,500/month Portland rent (a realistic one-bedroom in inner SE Portland or North Portland), the 9.5% cap allows a maximum lawful annual increase of $142.50/month. At $2,000/month (a two-bedroom in the Pearl District or close-in NE), the cap allows $190/month. These are ceilings; landlords may increase by any amount at or below the cap, once per 12-month period.

Why Portland cannot have a stricter local rent cap: Oregon SB 608 preemption

Portland’s City Council has repeatedly considered local rent stabilization beyond the statewide cap. Every such effort confronts the same legal barrier: ORS §90.600, enacted as part of SB 608 in 2019, which reads in relevant part:

“A city, county or other local government may not enact any ordinance or resolution that controls the rent charged for the rental of any residential premises.”

This preemption is categorical. Portland cannot set a rent cap lower than 9.5% for covered units, cannot apply a different formula, cannot create a local CPI adjustment, and cannot impose a more restrictive cap on specific neighborhoods or building types. The preemption applies to all Oregon cities and counties equally — Portland, Eugene, Bend, and every other jurisdiction.

What the preemption does NOT prohibit: ORS §90.600 preempts local ordinances that “control the rent charged.” It does not preempt:

• Relocation assistance ordinances triggered by rent increases or no-cause evictions — these impose a monetary obligation on landlords without controlling the rent amount itself. Portland’s PCC 30.01.085 survives on this basis.
• Anti-retaliation ordinances that protect tenants from adverse action after exercising rights under state law.
• Rental registration and inspection programs (Portland’s Rental Registration program under PCC Chapter 30 is unaffected).

The line between a permissible supplement and a preempted local rent cap has been the subject of tenant advocacy and legal analysis since SB 608’s enactment. The consensus is that Portland’s relocation assistance ordinance sits on the permissible side of that line.

Portland Rental Services Office

The Portland Rental Services Office (RSO) — part of the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (later reorganized under the Office of Community & Civic Life) — is Portland’s city agency for rental market compliance, education, and mediation. The RSO is distinct from the Oregon statewide framework and provides services that no other Oregon city offers at comparable scale.

What the Portland Rental Services Office provides:

• Rental housing information hotline: free phone and email counseling for tenants and landlords on Oregon rent increase laws, notice requirements, relocation assistance obligations, and just-cause eviction rules. RSO counselors are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice, but can explain how Oregon statutes apply to common Portland rental scenarios.
• Mediation services: RSO offers free or low-cost mediation between Portland tenants and landlords to resolve disputes about rent increases, deposits, habitability, and relocation assistance without litigation. Mediation is voluntary; both parties must agree to participate.
• Landlord and tenant education: RSO publishes guides to Oregon rent cap calculations, relocation assistance requirements, just-cause eviction procedures, and fair housing compliance. Portland-specific guides are maintained at the City of Portland website and updated when state law changes.
• Rental registration: Portland requires landlords to register residential rental units under PCC Chapter 30. The RSO administers registration and uses registration data to track the Portland rental market. Registration is required for landlords with four or more dwelling units in the city; some smaller properties are also required to register in certain circumstances.

The RSO does not enforce rent cap violations directly. A landlord who overcharges rent is liable to the tenant civilly under ORS §90.323(7); the RSO facilitates but does not adjudicate. Enforcement is through Multnomah County Circuit Court, not through an administrative rent board (Portland has no rent board with adjudicative authority over rent levels).

Portland Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (PCC 30.01.085)

Portland’s Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (Portland City Code 30.01.085, adopted 2018) is the most significant Portland-specific tenant protection beyond the statewide SB 611 cap. The ordinance requires a landlord to pay the departing tenant a lump-sum relocation assistance payment in two triggering scenarios:

Trigger 1: Rent increase exceeding 10% in a rolling 12-month period

If a Portland landlord increases rent by more than 10% in any rolling 12-month period, the landlord must pay relocation assistance to each tenant who receives that increase. The relevant measurement is the total increase delivered in the rolling 12 months, not a single-notice increase.

For covered units (pre-2011 first CoC): the statewide 9.5% cap bars any single-year increase above 9.5%, which is below the 10% relocation-assistance trigger. Barring a landlord who manages to violate the 9.5% cap (or who claims a banking provision that Oregon does not formally have), the 10%+ trigger is unlikely to be hit on covered units in 2026.

For exempt units (post-2011 first CoC): the 9.5% statewide cap does not apply. A landlord with an exempt 2015 Pearl District apartment building can raise rent by any amount. But if the raise exceeds 10% in any 12-month period, the landlord owes relocation assistance to the tenant. This creates a powerful practical deterrent: a landlord raising an exempt unit from $2,500/month to $2,775/month (11% increase) must pay one to three months’ relocation assistance in addition to collecting the higher rent. For a 10-year tenant, that’s three months × $2,775 = $8,325 in relocation assistance — a significant offset against the higher rent revenue.

Trigger 2: No-cause termination of tenancy

If a Portland landlord serves a no-cause termination notice (in the narrow circumstances where that is still legally possible after ORS §90.427’s statewide just-cause requirements), the landlord must pay relocation assistance. Oregon’s statewide just-cause law (ORS §90.427, SB 608) bans no-cause terminations after 12 months of tenancy for most residential tenancies — so relocation assistance for no-cause terminations is most relevant for tenancies in their first 12 months.

Relocation assistance amounts

Tenancy length	Relocation assistance required
Less than 1 year	1 month’s rent
1 to 2 years	1.5 months’ rent
2 to 10 years	2 months’ rent
10 or more years	3 months’ rent

The “rent” used for calculation is the rent before the triggering increase (for the 10%+ trigger) or the current rent (for no-cause termination). Relocation assistance must be paid at the time the landlord serves the triggering notice (the rent increase notice or the termination notice) — not upon the tenant’s actual departure. Failure to pay at notice service voids the triggering notice and renders it legally ineffective.

The 15-year first-CoC exemption and Portland’s graduating cohort

ORS §90.323(2)(a) exempts from the 9.5% cap any residential unit in a building whose first certificate of occupancy was issued less than 15 years ago from the date the rent increase takes effect. For increases effective in 2026, buildings with a first CoC issued in January 2011 or later are exempt. Buildings with a first CoC before January 2011 are covered.

Unlike California AB 1482 (12-year rolling exemption) and Washington HB 1217 (12-year rolling exemption), Oregon SB 611 uses a longer 15-year window. This means Oregon new construction stays in the exempt cohort three years longer than comparable California or Washington buildings.

Portland’s 2010–2011 graduating cohort: Pearl District and close-in neighborhoods

For 2026, buildings with a first CoC in calendar year 2010 or 2011 are at or near their 15-year exemption boundary. Buildings with a 2010 CoC are already covered (2010 + 15 = 2025, so they became covered in 2025). Buildings with a 2011 CoC are entering coverage during 2026.

The Pearl District graduating cohort: the Pearl District saw significant residential tower development from the mid-2000s through the early 2010s. Several purpose-built apartment and condominium towers that received their first CoC in 2010–2011 are now crossing the 15-year coverage threshold:

• 2010 first CoC Pearl buildings: fully covered since January 1, 2025. Landlords must have applied the 9.5% cap to all 2025 increases for covered units.
• 2011 first CoC Pearl buildings: the exact month matters — a building with a March 2011 first CoC becomes covered for increases effective in or after March 2026. A building with a November 2011 first CoC becomes covered for increases effective November 2026 and beyond.

The graduating cohort also includes close-in neighborhood development from 2010–2011: infill apartments in the Lloyd District, post-MAX-Yellow-Line development in North Portland’s Mississippi Avenue corridor, and urban infill in Buckman and Sunnyside east of downtown. Landlords in these buildings who were accustomed to uncapped increases (as exempt units) are now entering the ORS §90.323 coverage regime and must comply with the 9.5% cap, 90-day notice, and once-per-12-months frequency requirements.

Transition-year compliance risk: a landlord who does not track their building’s first CoC date and continues serving uncapped rent increase notices after the graduation date is violating ORS §90.323. The penalty (three months’ rent + actual damages + attorney fees) applies regardless of whether the landlord knew the unit was covered.

Portland neighborhood guide: building-age analysis and ORS §90.323 coverage

Portland’s residential neighborhoods developed in distinct eras, and the 15-year first-CoC rule (pre/post-2011 for 2026 coverage) determines ORS §90.323 applicability for each building. Building first CoC dates are searchable through the City of Portland Bureau of Development Services permit portal (portlandmaps.com/bds).

Pre-1970 Portland (pre-war and mid-century, fully covered)

Portland’s oldest residential neighborhoods were built from the late 1800s through the 1960s. All of this stock predates the 2011 coverage threshold by decades and is fully covered by the 9.5% cap:

• North Portland — Albina / Mississippi Avenue / Boise-Eliot / Overlook: one of Portland’s most historically significant Black neighborhoods; dense Craftsman, Colonial Revival, and modest mid-century housing from the 1910s–1960s; rapid gentrification since 2010 has pushed rents dramatically on this older covered stock; fully HB 1217-covered
• Northeast Portland — Irvington / Sabin / Concordia / Alberta Arts District: turn-of-century and 1920s–1950s residential stock; the Alberta Arts District’s small apartment buildings and Victorian-era homes converted to rentals; fully covered
• Southeast Portland — Hawthorne / Belmont / Division / Sunnyside / Buckman / Richmond: the dense inner-SE apartment belt; 1920s–1970s apartment buildings; some of Portland’s highest renter concentrations; Division Street corridor’s older buildings fully covered; newer purpose-built apartments on former parking lots may be post-2011 and exempt
• Northwest Portland — NW 23rd / Nob Hill / Slabtown (older portions): Victorian and Edwardian apartment buildings from the 1900s–1920s around NW 23rd Avenue; Slabtown’s older stock; fully covered
• Inner East — Kerns / Buckman / Hosford-Abernethy: modest 1920s–1960s apartments; largely covered

1970s–2010 Portland (broad coverage cohort)

Buildings from the 1970s through 2010 are all covered by the 9.5% cap:

• Lloyd District: mixed-era apartment buildings from the 1960s–2005; most pre-2011 stock is covered; newer purpose-built towers adjacent to the Oregon Convention Center may be post-2011 and exempt
• Pearl District (pre-2011 era): early loft conversions (1990s–early 2000s), the first wave of purpose-built towers (2001–2009); all fully covered since their 15-year anniversaries passed
• South Park Blocks / Portland State University area: 1990s–2008 condominium and apartment towers adjacent to PSU; all covered
• Outer SE Portland — Foster-Powell / Woodstock / Sellwood / Westmoreland: 1950s–1990s residential stock; apartment complexes from the 1970s–2000s; fully covered
• North Portland — St. Johns / Portsmouth / Arbor Lodge: modest 1950s–1990s apartments; fully covered
• East Portland (Division/Powell corridor, Centennial, Lents, Hazelwood): 1970s–2000s apartment complexes; lower-income renter concentration; fully covered

Post-2011 Portland (15-year rolling exempt)

Buildings with a first CoC in 2011 or later are currently exempt from the 9.5% cap. Portland’s urban residential construction boom from 2012–2020 produced substantial exempt stock:

• Pearl District (2012–present): the later wave of Pearl towers and mixed-use residential buildings; many post-2011 and exempt through the mid-to-late 2020s
• Slabtown (NW Portland, industrial-to-residential): the former industrial zone northwest of the Pearl has seen significant apartment tower development from 2013 onward; mostly post-2011 and exempt
• Division Street corridor (new-build apartment complexes): purpose-built infill complexes on Division from 2013–2020; post-2011 CoC; exempt
• South Waterfront (South Park Blocks extension): newer high-rise residential development along the Willamette; post-2011; exempt
• Lloyd District (new towers): post-2015 apartment towers adjacent to Moda Center; exempt

Oregon statewide just-cause eviction (ORS §90.427): how it applies in Portland

Oregon SB 608 (2019) enacted a statewide just-cause eviction requirement at ORS §90.427 that applies throughout Oregon, including Portland. The key provisions:

• After 12 months of tenancy, a landlord may not terminate a month-to-month tenancy without a cause enumerated in ORS §90.427(3) (tenant-at-fault causes) or ORS §90.427(4) (landlord-based causes with relocation assistance).
• Tenant-at-fault causes (ORS §90.427(3)): non-payment of rent; material violation of the rental agreement; damage to property; criminal activity; and similar tenant-fault grounds.
• Landlord-based causes (ORS §90.427(4)): owner move-in (within 90 days of termination notice, with one month’s rent relocation assistance); demolition or major renovation requiring vacancy; conversion to non-residential use; and other landlord- not-at-fault grounds. These require one month’s rent in relocation assistance (statewide minimum; Portland’s PCC 30.01.085 may require additional amounts based on tenancy length).
• Tenancies under 12 months: landlords may still terminate without cause during the first year; after one year, just-cause attaches.

Portland’s intersection with just-cause and relocation assistance: when a Portland landlord terminates using a landlord-based cause (owner move-in, demolition, major renovation), the tenant may be entitled to relocation assistance under both ORS §90.427(4) (one month’s rent statewide) and Portland PCC 30.01.085 (one to three months depending on tenancy length). The more generous Portland ordinance prevails for Portland tenants.

90-day notice requirement (ORS §90.323(3)): Portland landlord compliance

Oregon ORS §90.323(3) requires at least 90 days’ written notice of any rent increase for a covered Portland unit. This is the same across all of Oregon — there is no Portland-specific notice period variation.

• The 90 days runs from actual receipt: the notice must be received by the tenant (not postmarked) at least 90 days before the increase’s effective date.
• Mail service adds 3 days: under ORS §90.155, first-class mail is presumed delivered 3 days after mailing. A mailed notice should be sent at least 93 days before the effective date to ensure the 90-day period begins on receipt.
• Notice content requirements: the notice must state the new rent amount, the percentage increase, and the effective date. Unlike Washington HB 1217, Oregon does not require a prescribed government form — landlords may draft their own notice as long as it contains the required content.
• Once per 12 months: Oregon ORS §90.323(3) limits rent increases to once per 12-month period. A landlord cannot serve two rent increase notices in a 12-month period to exceed the cap cumulatively (though Oregon does not formally have a banking provision, so below-cap increases in prior years do not roll forward to a higher cap in later years).

Comparison with Washington HB 1217: Oregon’s 90-day notice (ORS §90.323(3)) is half of Washington’s 180-day notice requirement (RCW §59.18.700(1)(b)). A Portland landlord wanting to increase rent effective January 1, 2027 must serve notice by approximately October 3, 2026. A Seattle or Tacoma landlord wanting the same effective date must serve notice by approximately July 5, 2026. Oregon’s shorter notice period gives Portland landlords significantly more operational flexibility than their Washington counterparts.

SFRs and condominiums in Portland under Oregon SB 611

Oregon SB 611 and the ORS §90.323 rent cap apply to most Portland residential tenancies, including single-family rentals. The exemptions are narrower than under California AB 1482:

• Single-family rentals in Portland are covered by ORS §90.323 unless they qualify for one of the three statutory exemptions: 15-year first-CoC exemption (a SFR built in 2011 or later), government-assisted housing, or same-property owner-occupied. Unlike California AB 1482, Oregon has no separate SFR exemption based on owner notice at commencement of tenancy.
• Condominiums: a condominium unit that is rented to a tenant is covered by ORS §90.323 if the building’s first CoC predates 2011. The exemption is tied to the building’s first CoC, not the condominium conversion date. A Pearl District condominium unit in a building completed in 2005 is covered even if the specific unit was sold as a condo in 2015 and converted back to a rental in 2022.
• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): a Portland ADU rented under a standalone lease agreement is covered by ORS §90.323 unless the building (the main structure or the ADU itself, depending on how the first CoC was issued) qualifies for the 15-year exemption. The same-property owner-occupied exemption applies if the ADU is on a property where the landlord lives in the main dwelling and rents the ADU.

Penalty framework under ORS §90.323(7)

ORS §90.323(7) provides that a rent increase notice that exceeds the 9.5% cap is unenforceable to the extent of the excess. A Portland tenant who receives an over-cap notice may:

• Continue paying at the lawful capped rate: the tenant cannot be evicted for non-payment of the over-cap portion. The defective notice does not create a lawful obligation to pay the excess.
• Bring a civil action in Multnomah County Circuit Court to recover:
  • An amount equal to three months’ rent (regardless of actual overcharge)
  • Actual damages, including all unlawfully collected rent above the cap
  • Reasonable attorney fees and court costs
• Assert the over-cap violation as a counterclaim in any eviction proceeding the landlord initiates. A defective rent notice that forms the basis of a subsequent non-payment eviction is doubly problematic for the landlord.

The interaction with Portland’s Relocation Assistance Ordinance: if an over-cap increase on a covered unit also exceeds 10% (which would require violating the 9.5% cap by at least 0.5 percentage points), the landlord owes BOTH the ORS §90.323(7) civil penalty (three months’ rent + actual damages + attorney fees) AND the Portland relocation assistance payment (one to three months’ rent based on tenancy length). For a Portland tenant of ten or more years at $1,800/month, a willful 15% over-cap increase could expose the landlord to: three months × $1,800 = $5,400 in statutory penalty, plus three months × $1,800 = $5,400 in relocation assistance, plus all actual overpaid rent, plus attorney fees — a potential total well above $15,000.

Portland vs. other Oregon cities: what Portland-specific protections add

Because Oregon uses a uniform statewide formula, the 9.5% cap applies equally in Portland and Eugene and Medford. The meaningful Portland differences are supplemental:

• Portland Renter Relocation Assistance Ordinance (PCC 30.01.085): no other major Oregon city has an equivalent. Eugene has a Tenant-Landlord Assistance Program (focused on education and mediation, not relocation payments). Salem, Bend, and Medford rely entirely on the statewide ORS §90.427 just-cause framework without local supplements.
• Portland Rental Services Office: Portland’s city-funded agency for rental compliance education and mediation has no statewide equivalent. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) operates at the state level but does not offer Portland RSO-style direct tenant-landlord counseling.
• Multnomah County Circuit Court tenant-landlord docket: the highest volume eviction court in Oregon, with the most developed body of case law on ORS §90.323 enforcement. Multnomah County Law Library and Oregon Law Center have Portland-specific tenant resources not available in smaller counties.
• Portland rental market dynamics: Portland is the highest-rent Oregon city (median 1BR approximately $1,400–$1,800/month in 2026, compared to Eugene $1,200–$1,500, Bend $1,500–$2,000 for newer stock, Salem $1,000–$1,300). The same 9.5% cap allows higher absolute dollar increases in Portland than in any other Oregon city — at $1,800/month, the 9.5% cap permits a $171/month increase.

Frequently asked questions