Housing Policy Board

• HPB Hiatus:  With HPB finalizing the renter protection relocation assistance recommendation in March 2023, HPB completed the last of three focus areas it established in 2017. [1] On September 11, 2023, Housing Policy Board voted to take a hiatus until either such time as the Eugene City Council has concluded its Phase III Renter Protections process and any resulting regulations have been adopted or either elected member representing City or County to the Housing Policy Board request that the Housing Policy Board reconvene.  To ensure appropriate engagement, outreach, and implementation of current and potentially future renter protections, staff time is focused on completing the renter protections City Council process.  Once that is concluded and in keeping with the Housing Implementation Pipeline, it will be an opportunity to take stock of all HPB has accomplished and consider next steps in the structure of the Board and current community needs.  Until the Board has had the opportunity to have this conversation, we will wait to revisit the need to recruit or appoint any new members. 
• Stay Informed: As part of the Housing Implementation Pipeline communication strategies that relate to housing policy, programming, and explorations, the City is utilizing regular communications to the public via email list servs, the EUG Planning Newsletter, social media outlets, and through the HIP 6-month updates that get sent to City Council and are updated on our website. Staff will continue to send HPB and its interested parties list regular communications throughout the year. Sign up here.
• Renter Protections: Council approved the Phase II Renter Protections Ordinance on July 24 that became effective and enforceable on August 25, 2023. The administrative rules for the Ordinance are being completed. A notice will be published in The Register Guard and sent to the HPB interested parties list when the rules are posted for public review and comment. Anticipated date for adoption of the rules is late October/early November. Sign up here.
  
  
  • A Tenant Education Information flyer that includes summary information about Phase II Renter Protections is available for download on the renter protections and rental housing code websites. Landlords are required to distribute this Tenant Education Information document with all rental agreements.
    
  • Landlord Forms: The Rental Housing Code requires that landlords report Relocation Assistance Exemptions, Relocation Assistance Payments, and Terminations of Tenancy/Evictions to the City. The City has provided forms that landlords may use. The City will also accept reports in other ways as long as all the information required by the Code is included. The Administrative Rule will specify which City forms will be required. Until that's in place, the current City forms are optional.
  • Upcoming Renter Survey: In October, the City will conduct a survey to all renters whose addresses are registered in the City’s Rental Housing Code database. To create a statistically significant, representative sample, we will send an invitation via US Postal Service to the 35,000 rental addresses in the RHC database. The City is interested in understanding what issues Eugene renters have in common and identifying issues that are unique or experienced more frequently by population segments that have historically experienced discrimination. The City will include with the survey mailer the updated Tenant Education Information flyer. 
  • Landlord Survey: In early 2024, the City will administer a landlord survey. More information will be made available when it is closer to release.

[1] The three focus areas were: 1) construction excise tax, which Council approved in 2019, 2) middle housing, which Council approved in 2022, and 3) renter protections, which Council has approved two phases and will consider the third phase in the near future.