Amend Affordable Housing Code to add prohibition of anti-competitive rental practices including the sale and use of algorithmic devices (add Code Section 30.01.190) - PTU Supports this ordinance

This ordinance passed out of committee but was then referred back to the committee despite overwhelming support by the public and on the council, due to unspecified litigation. PTU will continue to monitor the issue and post updates. You should not stop putting pressure on leaders to pass this legislation.

Write an email to the City Councilors on the Homelessness and Housing Committee

Register to give verbal testimony at the city council meeting, either virtually or in-person.

Submit written testimony to the city council.

Portland Algorithmic Rental Price Fixing Ban main points

• These algorithmic devices allow landlords to engage in anti-competitive behavior
• They drive up rental prices beyond their market value
• High rent prices make the Portland homelessness crisis worse
• This law closes a loophole the prohibit cartel behavior that is already banned

Sample testimony for Portland Algorithmic Rental Price Fixing Ban

It's always great to add a personal story if you have one. Personal stories are the most impactful testimony, so please consider sharing how you have been or would be affected by a large rent increase.

Dear Chair Avalos and Councilors on the Homelessness and Housing Committee,

My name is [Your Name] and I live in [district/neighborhood]. I write to you in support of a motion to amend Affordable Housing Code to add prohibition of anti-competitive rental practices including the sale and use of algorithmic devices (add Code Section 30.01.190).

High rents continue to exacerbate the homelessness crisis affecting Portland and are a burden on all tenants who live in Portland. One recent factor in raising rents is the use of third-party companies like RealPage, Yardi, and YieldStar to work together to fix rental prices. Anti-competitive practices make a housing market already failing to serve Portlanders even worse. These services allow landlords to skirt antitrust policies to create de facto cartels to drive up rent.

It is absolutely vital that bodies like this one, who are interested in housing all Portlanders, take action to end these practices among landlords in the city and beyond. This is the first step in stopping unfair, anti-competitive practices among landlords in the city. Hopefully more legislation will follow to create stronger enforcement mechanisms and go after other common malfeasance among landlords like tenant harassment, bad faith complaints, and non-adherence to minimum housing quality standards.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Require the City Administrator to study alternative housing financing and ownership models and deliver a report of findings to Council - PTU supports this resolution

This resolution passed in the full city council. 🎉

This would be a study of social housing solutions and is the first step to a social housing plan in Portland.

This resolution passed out of the Homelessness and Housing Committee and will be read at the Wednesday, April 2nd city council meeting.

Register to give verbal testimony at the city council meeting, either virtually or in-person.

Submit written testimony to the city council.