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A bill that would limit landlords’ ability to evict tenants without cause was passed by the Oregon House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The bill backed by Democrats passed by a 31 to 27 vote. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

House Bill 2004 is part of a movement in Oregon to give renters greater certainty that they won’t face eviction or sudden, dramatic increases in rent. Landlords have fought the changes, saying they’re unnecessary and will cause problems in the market.

State Rep. Karin Power, D-Milwaukie, said she repeatedly heard from renters about their fears and anxieties when campaigning door-to-door.

鈥淚f it’s a place that you’ve made your home 鈥� the fact that that is so tenuous under our current landlord-tenant law is why I came on in support of this bill,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople need a little bit more assurance when they’re budgeting for rent at their current apartment that that’s not going to suddenly change.鈥�

The law would require 90 days’ notice for no-cause evictions, as long as tenants have been in place for six months. It also lifts the state’s pre-emption banning local rent control.

The state bill comes about two months after the Portland City Council passed a renter-friendly emergency ordinance. The rules, pushed by Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, require landlords to pay their tenants’ relocation costs when issuing a no-cause eviction. The relocation fees range from $2,900 to $4,500 depending on the size of apartment being vacated.

The local ordinance also requires landlords to give 90 days’ notice for a rent increase of 5 percent or more, and pay relocation costs if renters are forced to move by a rent increase of 10 percent or more.

That has raised the ire of multifamily owners and brokers, who until this year had no restrictions on setting whatever rent the market will bear. (The local ordinance faces an ongoing lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court).

Gary Winkler, a multifamily investment broker in Portland, said rent control hurts landlords who have kept their rents low.

鈥淭here are a number of people out there who have been reasonable with the rents, and they’re getting punished the most,鈥� he said.

One local landlord has units renting for $500, Winkler said. Now, under Portland’s new rules, he effectively can’t raise the rent more than 9.9 percent annually, making the property less attractive to investors.

鈥淚f they want to sell, they can’t sell as easily, because it’s going to take them years to get (rents) up to where they should be,鈥� Winkler said.

Under the state bill, landlords would still be able to issue no-cause evictions during the first six months of a renter’s tenancy. Thereafter, landlords would be required to use the for-cause eviction process. Landlord advocates have said it’s difficult to prove cause to evict tenants.

The legislation includes some exceptions that would allow property owners to evict tenants: if the landlord wants to move in or move a family member in, if the landlord wants to sell the property for use as a primary residence, if the property has become uninhabitable and must be renovated, or if the property is removed from residential use. In those instances, the landlord would be required to give 90 days’ notice and pay relocation assistance equivalent to one month’s rent.

Tenant advocates said the bill provides tenants some protection against sudden dislocation. Evicted residents often end up couch-surfing, living out of their cars or experiencing homelessness, said Alison McIntosh, deputy director for policy and communications at Neighborhood Partnerships, a Portland-based nonprofit.

鈥淩ight now, tenants have very little protection against no-cause evictions,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he House said we clearly need to act.鈥�