Rent Control: Portland vs Troutdale

Does Portland have a local rent control law?

No. Portland is preempted from setting its own rent cap by ORS 91.225, but the statewide cap in ORS 90.323 applies. The local PCC 30.01.085 relocation rule effectively penalizes increases at or above 10% within 12 months.

How is Oregon's rent cap calculated each year?

The Oregon Department of Administrative Services publishes the figure by September 30. The cap is the lower of 10% or 7% plus the September year-over-year change in the West Region Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

Is there rent control in Troutdale?

Troutdale has no city-level rent-control ordinance and cannot enact one under ORS 91.225, but Oregon's statewide rent-stabilization law (SB 608, 2019; ORS 90.323 and ORS 90.324) caps annual rent increases at the lesser of 7% plus West Region CPI or 10%. For calendar year 2026, the cap published by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services is 9.5% (7% + 2.5% CPI). The cap applies to month-to-month, fixed-term, and week-to-week tenancies and requires 90 days' written notice.

Does Oregon's rent cap apply to new buildings in Troutdale?

Not yet. ORS 90.324(2) exempts dwelling units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued less than 15 years before the rent-increase notice. A Troutdale unit first occupied in 2018 would become subject to the cap in 2033; a unit first occupied in 2010 is already subject to the cap. The landlord asserting the exemption must be prepared to document the original certificate of occupancy date. Subsidized affordable units (HUD, LIHTC, OHCS) are governed by their own regulatory agreements regardless of the 15-year clock.

What if a Troutdale landlord exceeds the 9.5% cap in 2026?

A rent-increase notice that exceeds the published cap, that lacks the 90-day notice, or that imposes a second increase within 12 months is void under ORS 90.323/90.324, and the tenant is entitled to damages equal to three months' rent plus actual damages, attorney fees, and costs under ORS 90.323(7) plus refund of any overpayment collected. The Multnomah County Circuit Court is the operative forum. Tenants commonly raise the violation as a defense to an FED action for non-payment of the increased rent or as an affirmative claim for damages.