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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 13 Renter Protections PresentationRenter Protections City Council Work Session March 13, 2019 Stephanie Jennings, Grants Manager Planning & Development Department •Review national and local rental market trends •Review perspectives of renters gathered through a survey and listening sessions •Review recent actions related to renter protections •Consider areas of focus for next steps 2 Focus Areas •There has been steady growth in the number of households that rent both locally and nationally. •Nationally, 36% of households rent compared with 31% in 2005 and 36% in 1994. •Renting has increased across all age groups, household, and income types. •Households headed by people age 30-69 have driven most of this growth. 3 Who rents and why? •51% of Eugene households now rent their homes. •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. 4 Overview of Eugene’s Rental Market 5 Eugene Rental Units by Structure Type 6 Dimensions of Housing Need Affordability Availability Quality Stability Access Housing Policy Board -Renter Protections Task Team •Formed in 2017, part of HPB Work Plan •Started meeting in Oct. 2018 •12 members, landlord, renters, student, Legal Aid representation •Survey •Developed by the Task Team in multiple meetings and discussions •Posted online, January 2019; Handed out at listening sessions •851 surveys completed -98% of respondents live in Eugene •Listening Sessions (Nov. 2018 -Feb 2019) •Approximately 112 participants •Associated Students University of Oregon, Jefferson Westside, Whiteaker Community Council, Active Bethel Citizens 7 Gathering Renters’ Perspectives 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 Student Not Employed Employed Part-time Employed Full-time Number of responses 8 Occupation of Respondents Family with children 28% Family without children 28% Non-family 19% Living alone 25% 9 Survey Respondents No 56% Yes 44% No Yes 10 Satisfaction with current rental home Quick and easy 15% Other 14% Competitive and stressful 71% What best describes your experience finding your current rental home? Quick and easy Other Competitive and stressful 11 Experience finding current rental home 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Location Size of home Home's condition Other Rent is too high If you are not satisfied with your current rental home, please check the reasons that apply Location Size of home Home's condition Other Rent is too high 12 Concerns about current home 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Other Fees Deposits Habitability Rent increase Have you ever experienced issues with your current or former property owners with regards to: Number of responses 13 Challenges faced by renters 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Home was foreclosed Eviction Other No-cause lease termination Rent increase, could no long afford If you have ever been asked or forced to leave a rental home in Eugene, lease specify why Number of responses 14 Reasons for being asked or forced to leave a rental home in Eugene •Of the 661 renters who indicated that they are not satisfied with current housing, nearly 38% indicated the rental home’s condition, habitability, maintenance are substandard •Some renters were willing to live in substandard conditions because it’s what they can afford •Others are fearful of asking the landlord to make repairs (rent increase, no-cause lease termination/no- cause eviction) 15 Concerns about rental home’s quality •Almost 30% of respondents felt they had been discriminated against while searching or renting •Most common basis for perceived discrimination: •Legal source of income, including Section 8 housing vouchers (75 respondents) •Disability (74 respondents) •Familial Status (69 respondents) •Age (62 respondents) 16 Discrimination in rental housing •Amount of rent; monthly pet rent •Credit scores •Income (not matching market rate rent) •Application fees (multiple) •Deposits (first and last months rent, plus security deposits of up to 3 x rent) •5 year required rental history •Criminal background •Physical disabilities 17 Topics identified in the Survey and Listening Sessions as additional barriers •450 people wrote in comments about high cost or increasing rent •Rentals are not being maintained •Not enough support for tenants •Rental housing is big source of financial stress and an embarrassment for some •Renters are moving, or looking to move outside of Eugene because cost of rent •High rent keeps people out of home ownership •Tenants feel vulnerable and stuck –cannot afford to stay (high rent) and cannot afford to move (deposits, fees, moving expenses) 18 Other Comments about the rental housing market (566 received) 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Community Alliance of Tenants (Portland) Eugene's Human Rights Office Fair Housing Council of Oregon Lane County Legal Aid Eugene's Rental Housing Code Answered: 486 Skipped: 365 Number of responses 19 Awareness of Current Resources •Many competing for limited number of rental units •Shrinking supply of lower cost units in private marketAvailability •Rents continuing to increase for many •Fees and deposits are a barrier for manyAffordability •Many reports of substandard conditions •Some fear using existing tools such as rental housing codeQuality •30% of survey respondents believe they experienced discrimination in the housing process •Particular challenges for those with poor creditAccess •Number of factors leading to loss of existing housing and challenges securing new housingStability 20 Overarching Themes •Multiple efforts to increase overall housing production •Increased development of regulated affordable housingAvailability •SB 608 moderates rent increases in market rate housing •Increased development of regulated affordable housing Affordability •Increased outreach has raised awareness of Rental Housing CodeQuality •Increased fair housing outreach and training to inform both renters and landlords of rights and responsibilitiesAccess •SB 608 limits use of no-cause evictionsStability 21 Recent Related Actions 22 Next Steps •Listen to Council perspectives on desired focus areas •Work with HPB to further analyze survey results •Identify potential options related to identified focus area.