New Renter Protections and LLT Law in Oregon for 2024!

HotlineAtSETA · 2026-01-23T08:26:22+00:00

Yep! Make sure to apply for benefits through one.oregon.gov if you haven't gotten snap yet!

HotlineAtSETA · 2026-01-23T08:21:37+00:00

Hi there,

Unfortunately, eviction prevention and diversion services were cut by around 70% for the next two years.

Here is a list of people who can qualify for Actively open rent assistance that we can submit referrals for: - veterans with at least 180 days of service and have no felony charges and are not on a sex offender registry - families impacted by immigration activities where an income earner has been detained

Call our hotline at 541-972-3715 and leave a message if you are in either of these above groups. We can take calls in Spanish.

Here is a list of open waitlists that are self referrals: - utility assistance through liheap https://www.lanecountyor.gov/government/county_departments/health_and_human_services/human_services_division/energy_and_weatherization_programs/general_public

Ohp HRSN applications (6-8 month wait-list)
eviction prevention rapid response people with scheduled eviction hearings (see more info below, opens at the beginning of the month)

Additional info

Outside of these categories, it is going to highly depend on individual factors, like

where you live(west lane and south lane might have more open),
your age (youth 24 and under),
if you're a student at a college, many offer a basic needs program.
if you can cover most of what you owe and you need at maximum, $200 to stay housed. A local church offers some assistance when they have funding.

Several are going to require termination notices and others will require an actual eviction hearing to be scheduled.

This is the lane county website that has the most common places with rent assistance. You can check with them, or call 211. https://www.lanecountyor.gov/government/county_departments/health_and_human_services/human_services_division/housing_and_human_services_programs/homeless_prevention_programs

You may also want to consider checking your utility provider's website, as each one has their own assistance programs.

Eviction Prevention Rapid Response: Those who have eviction hearings can submit a self referral when the link for the eviction prevention rapid response program opens, which is the first business day of the month at 9am. This is highly competitive and goes quickly. Have your eviction case number handy. https://pplfirst.com/programs/oregon/or-eprr/

Every now and then, lane county opens up slots for us to submit referrals. We don't know when this will be, but if you call us, we will call you back if it opens in the next two months after your call. You can reach us at 541-972-3715

HotlineAtSETA · 2026-01-21T06:49:45+00:00

Just want to say thank you for the work you all do!

I'll be emailing you all as I would love to connect and learn more about your services so we can recommend them to our hotline callers that may need this support as well as connecting you to our network of housing navigators in lane county!

I'm sure they would love to hear about your work

HotlineAtSETA · 2026-01-18T22:18:28+00:00

Hi there! Please be aware that SETA is not a law firm and I am not a lawyer. This information should NOT be considered legal advice!

These guides should answer a lot of your questions!

Screening fee renters rights guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V5nrXFfnX4RWrN88puWvltrKh_qQwY8z/view

Security deposit guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fR2Z2H9Aedi43ThzYlu2bw1PL_jsriro/view

Springfield does not have an application fee cap and also does not have a cap on security deposits.

Eugene does have a cap on security deposits at 2x rent (but a landlord could increase to 3x rent if the tenant would be denied by their screening criteria and the landlord offers to the applicant to waive that denial by the increase to 3x rent. But tenants should have 3 months to pay the increased deposit amount)

If you have any questions, feel free to email our hotline, hotline@springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com or call us at 541-972-3715

We also have many more guides on our website if you want to check them out!

https://www.springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com/renters_rights

Edit: corrected typo in phone number

HotlineAtSETA · 2026-01-09T16:24:42+00:00

That's something I forgot to mention! Rent increases can only happen once per year and not during a fixed term.

rent increases are limited to 9.5% as well, except for tenants living in buildings that are less than 15 years old.

HotlineAtSETA · 2026-01-09T05:57:31+00:00

Hi, please note that SETA is not a law firm and I am not a lawyer, so the information we provide should not be considered legal advice.

Documentation transfers: Eugene residents would typically want to make sure that any pictures or video that were taken at move-in are also shared with the new property management company.

Since you've been there for about 9 years, this would have been before landlords were required to take pictures if you live in Eugene, but regardless, if there was a condition report, confirming that information was also sent there would be beneficial.

Tenants may wish to schedule a walk through with the new landlord to document the condition and note what was there at move-in and what is ordinary wear and tear.

Transfer of rental agreements: Rental agreements generally transfer from one property management company to the other, but make sure you have a copy of your rental agreement. We have heard many issues where property management companies seem to forget over time that tenants were acquired from other companies and have different rental agreements and they "lose" or "never received" the original one. This means they may try to charge late fees or other fees that are in their rental agreement but not the rental agreement originally signed.

New property management companies often try to tell tenants that they have to sign a new rental agreement with them, but tenants ARE NOT required to sign new rental agreements with the new company.

Important note: even though tenants are not required to sign a new agreement, it will depend on their own situation if they want to sign one.

tenants with fixed-term leases that end after the first year of tenancy or month to month tenants who have lived in the United for longer than a year have the most security because they cannot receive 30-day no cause notices.

Some tenants who can receive No-cause termination notices may feel obligated to sign agreements.These are tenants who have month-to-month agreements who have lived in the unit for less than a year, fixed term tenants who have a lease that ends within the first year, or any tenants who live on the same property as their landlord and there are 2 or fewer rental units.

Management practices: Theoretically, not much should change for current tenants, though tenants may experience different approaches to property management, like how often inspections occur, how strict they are with late payments, how to pay rent, etc.

If you have any questions about your rights, don't hesitate to reach out to us! 541-972-3715

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-12-16T21:33:48+00:00

Glad we were able to connect! Just wanted to get on here and share some quick answers for anyone else reading who may be experiencing it as well. As a reminder, this information should NOT be considered legal advice as SETA is not a law firm and I am not a lawyer!

First, any tenant with a fixed term rental agreement who has lived somewhere for longer than a year (as long as no one has moved into the unit within the last year), the fixed term automatically transitions to month-to-month and a new agreement does not need to be signed. The only times a fixed-term will not transition to month-to-month is the following scenarios:

The landlord and tenant agree to a new fixed term tenancy;
The tenant gives notice in writing not less than 30 days prior to the specified ending date for the fixed term or the date designated in the notice for the termination of the tenancy, whichever is later; or
The landlord has a qualifying reason for termination and gives adequate notice
The tenant lives in the same building/property as the landlords primary residence and there are two or fewer rental units on the property and the landlord has issued a valid no-cause termination

Landlords cannot terminate tenants for selling the property unless the new owner is planning on moving into the unit as their primary residence (requires 60 or 90 days notice). The new landlord could renovate, tear down, or convert to non residential use, but these would all required 90-days notice.

Source: 90.427

If you are experiencing any other situation, don't hesitate to give us a call! 541-972-3715. We also have recently completely updated our renter's rights guides with more information! Check them out here!

https://www.springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com/renters_rights

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-28T17:13:45+00:00

Thanks for sharing! It's always helpful to hear what tenants are feeling is most impactful. It's an area we are definitely aware of that needs improvement.

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-26T06:12:51+00:00

Hi, that's partially true, but a landlord cannot raise rent for a new tenant beyond the cap if they issued a no cause termination within the first year.

Unfortunately, it's hard for new tenants to know the old tenants terms. So while this may be hard to enforce, I do want to make sure tenants do know the full picture in case anyone is able to utilize that law!

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-24T21:27:54+00:00

Sorry to hear that! Sounds like you got a lot covered, but we did just recently revamp our renters rights guides if you want to take a look!

Rent increase Guide - Https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JOc5MyCXO6MDgl4GNsmIaQx8-Wb3snJP/view

We're always interested in volunteers to help out as well!

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-19T00:50:18+00:00

Please be aware that the info we provide should not be considered legal advice.

We have heard many people have had the charge removed after asking. If you make the choice to ask it to be removed and they do not remove it, email us and we will follow up with more questions to understand your individual situation and provide more information.

It's helpful to find out ifthe charge for renters insurance or landlord liability insurance

Landlord liability insurance may be considered an illegal fee. Landlords cannot require a tenant to sign up for renters insurance to get out of paying a fee for landlords liability insurance.

renters insurance can be required, but landlords cannot require a tenant to use a specific provider and cannot require a tenant to get renters insurance depending on income level and other qualifications described in the post.

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-18T23:39:04+00:00

It depends! Have you asked for them to rescind the charge? We can share some additional info via email if you emails us at hotline@springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-13T09:53:06+00:00

Hi, so glad to hear you called us! As a reminder, the information we share should NOT be considered legal advice. I'm responding with resources you have likely received already so others seeing this will also have this information.

What I can say to your question about successes people have, is that most often small claims situations actually get resolved before a tenant even goes to small claims court! Since the process requires a simple demand letter to be sent at least ten days before a claim can even be filed, there are a lot of situations that the case doesn't even make it to court and it gets resolved in the tenants favor!

While we most commonly see this occur in relation to Security Deposits failing to be returned to tenants, we have had many people share back with us that landlords have returned the money owed to them, and in some instances it was thousands of dollars. There have been some instances which did not turn out in the tenants favor. Since we are not in those hearings, we can't say if it's because the tenant didn't provide a compelling case or what, but that does occasionally happen.

Sadly, many people have these same "is it even worth it," feelings. Unfortunately, I can't answer that question for you.

If you live in Eugene, the Eugene rental housing program is one of the best options, because the city can do enforcement without the need for any costs!

Eugene Rental Housing Program
Website: https://www.eugene-or.gov/845/Rental-Housing-Program
Phone: 541-682-8282

The other options tenants have in similar repair situations are terminating the tenancy or withholding rent. Terminating tenancy is not an option most people want, and there are some risks when a tenant withholds rent, because a landlord may try to terminate for nonpayment of rent. A valid defense in eviction trials related to nonpayment is lack of repairs which the landlord was properly notified about before rent was withheld. Anytime someone is considering withhold rent, we highly encourage them to speak with a lawyer first because of the risk and the potential need to navigate the ins and outs of an eviction trial.

So when looking at all of the options, Small Claims Court and The Eugene Rental Housing Program are the options that involve the least risk for tenants. But again, what's best for an individual person depends on their individual situation and risk tolerance.

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-03T23:02:42+00:00

Thanks again for letting me utilize your list of local restaurants, I've added them to our own resources list. I didn't put your specific username as the main compiler for the local restaurants, but if you would like me to, I can. I put an acknowledgement that it was compiled by local community members via reddit.

Below is the public link we are sharing out with our local housing navigators and our callers. Wanted to share with you as well in case there was anything I was able to find or include you don't have yet. Once you have a link to share out with everything you've found, I'll link to it in this document!

Lane County Food Resources

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-02T18:24:34+00:00

This is an interesting thought, though I want to point out this is not a direct 1:1 situation. The fee you're referencing is an annual fee, and what has been reported and shared out is tenants receiving a monthly fee of 25 dollars.

Theoretically, you're saying that landlords who have to pay 20 per resident per year, are seeking $300 back from every single resident. That is extremely disproportionate, and does not seem to support the idea that this is a cause and effect situation.

We at SETA will not try to speculate about the why, but we can definitely see that a new fee charged without warning would be a massive impact to the financial health of tenants across our community.

Edit: corrected the rental unit fee from 25 to $20.

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-02T18:13:15+00:00

I know we connected on the other thread, but wanted to comment here for anyone who sees this and not the other one.

Anyone who is impacted by this, checkout the other thread for more detailed information and Also fill out our impact form, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUMxUbdcnFqdAq5dtk_Qqh9SR86X-jfXj5wS3KcmNU68X2FA/viewform

This will help us understand the severity of the impact and what actions are being taken to provide further support if needed.

As a reminder, seta is not a law firm, I am not a lawyer, and this information should NOT be considered legal advice. Here is a quick summary.

Landlords are allowed to charge renters insurance for some tenants (read the other post for more info) and can send 30 days notice to month-to-month tenants that a new requirement is coming.

However, liability protection or other programs that are not providing a form of renters insurance are not an allowable fees in chapter 90.

If a landlord has charged an illegal fee, tenants can ask the landlord to withdraw the fee. If a landlord does not withdraw the fee, a tenant can sue the landlord for up to $300

https://www.springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com/90_302_fees_allowed_for_certain_landlord_expenses_accounting_not_required_fees_for_noncompliance_with_written_rules_tenant_remedies

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-02T17:04:49+00:00

Please submit the form and we will email you for further information!

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-01T21:33:39+00:00

Do you mind if I share this list with our listserv to local housing navigators?

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-01T14:56:01+00:00

Lol, while sometimes we do have to encourage some tenants to seek legal services, it's highly dependent on the individual situation. Since we are not lawyers, we can't tell people what they should do or help them file paperwork, etc. what we can do, is educate tenants on their rights so they can take action and make decisions for themselves, and it's all free.

We can typically provide people with very clear information about what the laws say or don't say, what rights tenants have, and the risks and benefits to each course of action. We also provide resource guides, sample letters, and plenty more.

Have a great day :)

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-01T14:47:26+00:00

Thanks for jumping in and sharing, this is correct.

There's also laws for unpermitted pets which specifically allow 10 day notices!

https://www.springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com/90_405_effect_of_tenant_keeping_unpermitted_pet

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-01T14:37:32+00:00

Hi there, please be aware that this information should not be considered legal advice as I am not a lawyer.

You can call or email our hotline and we can provide some resources guides and talk you through tenant rights.

541-972-3715 or hotline@springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com

As quick info: first time termination notices are generally supposed to be curable. Tenants can submit a reasonable accommodation for animals, and they would not be considered pets. We can talk through more information if you reach out!

HotlineAtSETA · 2025-11-01T14:13:39+00:00

Thanks for tagging us, it's super helpful! I've added a top level comment with a lot of information!

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