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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/21/17 PowerPoint - Renter Protections Renter Protections Work Session February 21, 2017 Stephanie Jennings, Grants Manager Planning & Development Department Presentation Summary Provide overview of EugeneÔs rental housing market • conditions and trends. Provide overview of existing goals, local policies, and • programs that affect renters Identify priority policy area for further exploration and • next steps. 2 Who rents and why? There has been steady growth in the number of • households that rent both locally and nationally. Nationally, 37% of households rent compared with 31% • in 2005. Renting has increased across all age groups, household, • and income types. Households headed by people age 30-69 have driven • most of this growth. The Great Recession temporarily suppressed household • formation among younger people but increased renter demand due to foreclosures. 3 Overview of EugeneÔs Rental Market 53% of Eugene households now rent their homes • compared with 48% in 2000. Median rents have increased for all unit types across • Eugene and vacancy rates remain low. The number of rental units has increased steadily over • the past several years to over 18,000 units. There are over 3,500 subsidized affordable rental • housing units in Eugene with extensive waitlists. Development of affordable rental housing has slowed • due to declining resources and increased competition for existing resources. 4 Rental units by Structure Type 5 Examples of Subsidized Affordable Housing Lamb Building Willakenzie Crossing Stellar Apartments 35 units 56 affordable housing units54 affordable housing units BothyCottage29Place Apartments th Roosevelt Crossing 5 bedroom group home for 35 units for people with 45 units for male female ex-offenders with childrenmental illness ex-offenders 6 Lamb Building photo: Marc Allen Mintz Dimensions of Housing Need Affordability Availability Access Stability Quality 7 Rental Housing Affordability Market Conditions A majority of Eugene renters (54%) have a housing cost burden. This • means they pay more than 30% of their income for rent and utilities. 76% of low-income renters have a housing cost burden and 51% have a • severe housing cost burden. A severe cost burden means they pay more than 50% of their income for rent and utilities. Too many low-income households are competing for a limited supply • of market rate and subsidized units with affordable rents. Related Goals and Policies adopted by Council Increase the supply of affordable housing units using federal funds and • in-kind City resources. (Eugene-Springfield 2015 Consolidated Plan) Provide affordable housing for all income levels. (Envision Eugene) • 8 Rental Housing Availability Market Conditions The number of renter households have increased at all income levels. • Too many moderate-income households are competing for a limited • supply of moderate-rent units. The cost of developing housing is greater than what low and • moderate-income households can afford to pay in rent. Growth in number of high-income renters is preventing filtering of • units from high to moderate rents. Related Goals and Policies adopted by Council Increase the overall supply of housing units (Envision Eugene) • Encourage high quality, multi unit downtown housing (Multi Unit • Property Tax Exemption Program) 9 Rental Housing Access Market Conditions Local and national research shows access to rental housing is impacted by • race, national origin, familial status, disability, source of income, and other characteristics of the household. Some rental housing application and leasing policies make it difficult for • households to find and retain rental housing. Renters have expressed concerns regarding application fees, deposits, and other leasing practices. Related Goals and Policies adopted by Council Remove barriers to affordable and supportive housing. Provide fair housing • services and education. (Eugene-Springfield 2015 Consolidated Plan) Housing discrimination and complaint system established in local code • (Eugene Human Rights Code) 10 Rental Housing Quality Market Conditions Almost two-thirds of EugeneÔs housing stock was built prior to 1980. • Lower cost rental units tend to be older and in poorer condition. While Oregon tenant-landlord law sets habitability standards residents • must go to small claims court to seek damages. Related Goals and Policies adopted by Council Eugene Rental Housing Code (Eugene City Code) • Rehabilitate existing housing stock affordable to low-income persons • (Eugene-Springfield 2015 Consolidated Plan) 11 Rental Housing Stability Market Issue Renter concerns have emerged regarding notifications, rent increases, • lease terminations, and no cause evictions. Prominence of these issues across the state led to recent legislation on • notices of rent increases. Multiple housing bills have been introduced at the legislature to address no cause evictions and increase renter stability. Related Goals and Policies adopted by Council Condominium and Manufactured Home Park Closure Ordinance • (Eugene City Code) 12 Next Steps Affordability • Availability Identify • desired Access • outcomes Quality • Stability • Conduct research to better understand housing market • Research conditions. market Identify options for expanding existing programs or • conditions & adopting new programs and policies. policy options Consult with Housing Policy Board. • Bring back to Develop further analysis and policy options for Council • Council for consideration at future work session. consideration 13