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A bill that would lift Oregon’s pre-emption on local rent control, require landlords to pay relocation expenses and limit no-cause evictions had a hearing before a Senate committee last week.

In the Senate, the legislation has attracted chief sponsors Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, and Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham.

The House passed the bill, H.B. 2004, on April 4 by a 31-27 vote.

Landlords have fiercely opposed the legislation, fearing it would limit their flexibility to get rid of disruptive tenants and raise rents to fair market value.

鈥淥ftentimes you don’t know a tenant or their entourage until they move into your property,鈥� Alex Ianos, a Portland-area landlord, stated in written testimony. 鈥淭he no-cause notice allows flexibility to rehab a property and also protect other tenants living on the property. A for-cause eviction is an extremely difficult process.鈥�

The legislation comes on the heels of Portland’s emergency ordinance requiring landlords to pay tenants’ relocation costs. Landlords have challenged the ordinance in court; a ruling has yet to be issued.

Portland tenants have complained of steep rent hikes forcing them to leave their neighborhoods. Advocates say tenants have little protection from sudden displacement. Groups such as the Community Alliance of Tenants have become more vocal as the housing crisis has deepened.

Landlords should use the existing for-cause eviction process, CAT Executive Director Katrina Holland said in an interview.

鈥淲e cannot understand why no-cause evictions are so near and dear to someone’s heart,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f some tenant is violating the lease and bothering other tenants, there is a very clear for-cause statute in our law that allows landlords to hold someone accountable.鈥�

One Portland tenant, Brenna Bell, recalled how she was issued a no-cause eviction in 2004 a week after giving birth to her first child.

鈥淭he first month of my daughter’s life became a time of intense stress rather than the period of peace I long imagined,鈥� Bell wrote to legislators.

The bill would also give municipalities the ability to cap rent increases, which are unregulated at present.

The bill appears to be headed for a work session and then a floor vote, said Alison McIntosh, deputy director for policy and communications at聽Neighborhood Partnerships, a Portland-based nonprofit.

鈥淭hat is our hope, and we’re working really hard to make that happen,鈥� McIntosh said.

The bill’s hearing Wednesday was before the Senate Committee on Human Services. Bill sponsors were not available for comment on Friday.