Portland and Oregon law prohibit landlords from refusing tenants based on lawful source of income, including Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Social Security, veterans benefits, and other public assistance, with active enforcement by the city and BOLI.
Under PCC 30.01.086 and Oregon ORS 659A.421, source-of-income discrimination in housing is unlawful. Landlords may not advertise no-vouchers policies, refuse Section 8 applicants, set higher screening criteria for voucher holders, or apply different income-to-rent ratios that effectively exclude subsidized renters. Allowable practices include calculating the income-to-rent ratio against only the tenant-paid portion of rent for voucher holders. The Portland Housing Bureau and Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) accept complaints; civil penalties and damages awards can be substantial.
Landlords advertising no-vouchers or refusing voucher holders face BOLI fines, Portland civil penalties, tenant damages plus attorney fees, and possible Fair Housing Council referral for federal disparate-impact claims.
See how Portland's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
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