At the end of last week the Portland City Council voted on several changes to their Relocation Assistance ordinance that mandates payments from the landlord to the tenant when either an End of Tenancy notice is served, or a rent increase notice of 10% or higher is served and the tenant then elects to move. The following changes are effective immediately.

Related to rent increases, the tenant can now submit their "request for relocation assistance" within the first 45 days of the rent increase notice period. The landlord is then obligated to pay the relocation assistance within 31 calendar days after receiving the tenant's request.

After the tenant receives the relocation assistance, the tenant has six months from the effective date of the rental increase to either:

Pay back the relocation assistance and remain in the dwelling unit (paying raised rent amount)
Provide landlord with notice to terminate the rental agreement

The council voted that a written disclosure of "the foregoing terms and conditions regarding the tenants' rights and obligations regarding the relocation assistance" ought to be included with the payment of relocation assistance to the tenant.

The Council also voted Thursday to reestablish the emergency clause for this relocation assistance ordinance. Currently it's due to expire (renew) by October 6th.

Other resources: City of Portland