Thursday, May 4th, 2017 I can’t fight HB 2004-A alone and its starting to feel like I am. I must have your help NOW! ORHA has over 3,000 members all across Oregon, and less than 200 of you have submitted testimony. This is an embarrassing and ridiculously low percentage! Silence is consent, and if you don’t exercise your voice now, you will have no right to complain about the result, an unpleasant consequence that we may all have to live with. Thankfully, testimony on HB 2004-A has been extended through Friday. Make your voice count on HB 2004-A. Here is the link, shs.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov just click on it, write a quick sentence and hit send. That's all it takes! If all you have is a single sentence, then so be it. Just say “I’m a landlord in X County, and I urge you to oppose HB 2004-A.” This single sentence is better than nothing. I’m counting on all of our ORHA members. Don’t let me and each other down now, when it matters the most. Make your voice heard and do it NOW! Jim Straub ld@oregonrha.com Your ORHA Legislative Director Oregon Rental Housing Association 1462 Commercial Street N.E. Salem, Oregon 97301 www.oregonrentalhousing.com

We NEED you in Salem on Wednesday! Monday, May 1st, 2017 EMERGENCY ALERT! We did it once before, and we need you to do it again! The public hearing on HB 2004-A has been scheduled to begin this Wednesday (5/3/2017) at the Oregon State Capital in Hearing room D at 1:00pm. We NEED to fill the seats in the hearing room! The tenant groups will literally have bus loads attending, just like last time - We have to be represented and only you can help. HB 2004-A would allow rent control, prohibit most End of Tenancy "no cause" notices, force fixed-term tenancies to extend to month-to-month and require landlords to pay relocation assistance to tenants, before they even move out! This bill declares an emergency making it effective on passage, which could be as early as next month. WE MUST STOP THIS! WE NEED YOU IN SALEM! For those of you that cannot attend in person, and even those of you who will be there, it is imperative that you email your written testimony against HB 2004-A by 1:00pm Wednesday. Here is the link. shs.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov Please explain in your own words how the passage of this bill will affect you and/or your business. For those of you attending, please arrive by 12:30pm and sign up to speak at the table outside of the hearing room. Thank you all in advance! Jim Straub ORHA Legislative Director Oregon Rental Housing Association 1462 Commercial Street N.E. Salem, Oregon 97301 www.oregonrentalhousing.com

We need you in Salem on Wednesday! Monday, April 17th, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ALERT! Now is the time to make your voice heard! We had an overwhelming turnout for the public hearing on the House of Representatives side, and we need that much and even more for the Senate side. The Senate Committee on Human Services has finally scheduled a public hearing on HB 2004. They have not given us much time. It will be this coming Wednesday, May 3rd at 1:00pm in the capital building, hearing room D. I will send another email alert later today or tomorrow once I have been able to gather more information and strategize a bit on messaging. Thank you, Jim Straub ORHA Legislative Director Oregon Rental Housing Association 1462 Commercial Street N.E. Salem, Oregon 97301 www.oregonrentalhousing.com

This morning, April 4th, the Oregon House voted in favor of HB 2004 and its amendments. It didn’t pass by much – the vote was 27 to 31. 31 votes is the minimum to pass a bill out of the House, and this shows the tremendous impact and response of our members! I want to especially recognize the energy and support our members put into contacting our legislators and lobbying against this bill. Our grassroots effort came very, very close to succeeding this time!

The bill now passes to the Senate, where it will receive a first reading tomorrow and be assigned to a committee. Our work isn’t done, as there is still hope to defeat this bill in the Senate. Please watch for further updates and emergency alerts via email with more information about how you can do your part to stop this bill.

Additionally, More Housing NOW! is a landlord advocacy group addressing these issues in Oregon. Visit and follow their Facebook and YouTube pages for more information and to stay informed as new developments arise:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morehousingNOW/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrIp-EW0UJgkK6jYJYWFmPA

Thank you,

Jim Straub
ORHA Legislative Director

EMERGENCY ALERT!

You must contact your legislator today!

This Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m., the Speaker of the House is going to pass rent control, change no-cause eviction law, and require landlords to pay for evicted tenants to move.

They waited until the last minute, the week of spring break, to schedule an 8:00 a.m. hearing this Thursday to discourage us from having our voice heard. We need you to call your legislator right now and tell them you are opposed to HB 2004 and all its amendments.

The tenants union is touting a “compromise,” but there is no compromise. This is a power play to force rent control and make it even harder to evict bad people from safe neighborhoods.

Your legislators must hear from you today—prior to the Thursday morning meeting.  We can’t miss this narrow window of opportunity!

Call or e-mail immediately. This is a critical time for our industry. Together we must make our voices heard.

Log on to https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/findyourlegislator/leg-districts.html for an interactive map to find your state legislator.

Additionally, More Housing NOW! is a landlord advocacy group addressing these issues in Oregon. Visit and follow their Facebook and YouTube pages for more information and to stay informed as new developments arise:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morehousingNOW/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrIp-EW0UJgkK6jYJYWFmPA

Thank you,

Jim Straub
ORHA Legislative Director

HB 2004 PROHIBITS landlords from terminating a month-to-month tenancy without cause, except under certain circumstances, with 90 days' written notice and payment of relocation expenses that could be upwards of $5000.

It also REQUIRES fixed term tenancies to become month-to-month tenancies on the ending date, unless the tenant elects to renew or terminate tenancy and REQUIRES the landlord to make tenant an offer to renew fixed term tenancy.

Repeals the statewide prohibition on Rent Control.

Declares emergency making it effective on passage.

PRESS RELEASE:  March 13, 2017

For Immediate Release

Contact: Representative Cliff Bentz

503-986-1460

Governor Kate Brown Sends $1 Million in State Funds To Malheur County

SALEM-Governor Kate Brown has allocated $1 million in state assistance to Malheur County to help as the area recovers from unprecedented damage caused by winter storms.

The funds will be allocated through the Oregon Economic Development Department (Business Oregon) toward building structure damage assessment costs, onion disposal, and assistance in replacement of value-added agriculture processing and storage facilities.

Governor Brown has also announced that since the thresholds for a federal Disaster Declaration through FEMA have been met, she will be requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration, with response from the Trump Administration expected within the next three weeks.

In February, Congressman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) sent a letter to President Trump asking that his administration act expeditiously upon receipt of the request for a Disaster Declaration to both approve the request and to ensure that the federal assets normal for such an emergency are deployed to those Oregon counties suffering from the ravages of the winter of 2017.

Rep. Bentz said, "I am thankful to Governor Brown for both visiting Malheur County, and for her recognition of the staggering losses and damages sustained by the people of this area. With hundreds of collapsed buildings, and thousands, if not millions of dollars in lost productivity, onion inventory, livestock, wages, and sales, the assistance of our state and federal government is essential. We are deeply appreciative of the Governor's help in directing scarce state resources to Malheur County, in the form of both agency assistance and money, and for her work with the Trump Administration to obtain a disaster declaration for our area."

Once a federal Disaster Declaration is official, Malheur County will be eligible for a 75 percent/25 percent cost share on eligible publicly incurred (public buildings for example) damages. Those suffering livestock losses in Counties declared disaster areas will also be eligible for USDA disaster assistance programs. See press release of January 26th for contacts: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bentz/Documents/Snow%20Resources%20and%20Assistance.pdf

Individuals in need of funding assistance for structural assessments should contact the Malheur County Extension Office at 541-881-1417 or via email at stuart.reitz@oregonstate.edu. Funding assessments will begin in mid-March.

258 S. Oregon St., P.O. Box 1027, Ontario, OR 97914

900 Court St. NE, H-475, Salem, OR 97301

rep.cliffbentz@oregonlegislature.gov

This series of videos captures landlords' testimony in opposition of proposed House Bill 2004, which, if enacted, would prohibit landlords from terminating month-to-month tenancy without cause except under certain circumstances with 90 days' written notice and payment of relocation expenses.

The prohibition of "no-cause" evictions would prevent landlords and property managers from protecting and ensuring the safety of good tenants.

https://youtu.be/wmFULhERBMk

This series of videos captures landlords' testimony in opposition of proposed House Bill 2004, which, if enacted, would prohibit landlords from terminating month-to-month tenancy without cause except under certain circumstances with 90 days' written notice and payment of relocation expenses.

https://youtu.be/u1IKFbLkONw

This series of videos captures landlords' testimony in opposition of proposed House Bill 2004, which, if enacted, would prohibit landlords from terminating month-to-month tenancy without cause except under certain circumstances with 90 days' written notice and payment of relocation expenses.

The prohibition of "no-cause" evictions would prevent landlords and property managers from protecting and ensuring the safety of good tenants.

https://youtu.be/bLGC3ByKhfU

This series of videos captures landlords' testimony in opposition of proposed House Bill 2004, which, if enacted, would prohibit landlords from terminating month-to-month tenancy without cause except under certain circumstances with 90 days' written notice and payment of relocation expenses.

The prohibition of "no-cause" evictions would prevent landlords and property managers from protecting and ensuring the safety of good tenants.

https://youtu.be/8s6Ra7TeE4o