Rental Housing An Rental Housing Association Publication ASSOCIATION, INC. News

November 2014 2014 General Election Results By Shawn Miller, ORHA Lobbyist

Federal Results from Oregon HOUSE • For U.S. House, all incumbents retained their • House Democrats picked up one seat: seats. 4 House District 20 with Paul Evans (D) defeating Kathy Goss (R) • District 1: Suzanne Bonamici (D) • House Democrats retained a few key seats that threatened to • District 2: Greg Walden (R) narrow their majority: • District 3: Earl Blumenauer (D) 4 House District 22 with Betty Komp (D) defeating Matt Geiger (R) • District 4: Peter Defazio (D) 4 House District 29 with Susan McLain (D) defeating • District 5: Kurt Schrader (D) Mark Richman (R) • For U.S. Senate, incumbent Jeff Merkley (D) 4 House District 30 with Joe Gallegos (D) defeating retained his seat. Dan Mason (R) 4 House District 40 with Brent Barton (D) defeating Oregon Governor’s Race Steve Newgard (R) Governor John Kitzhaber (D) defeated Dennis 4 House District 51 with Shemia Fagan (D) defeating Richardson (R) for an unprecedented fourth term. Jodi Bailey (R) • The democrats won every contested race in the Oregon House Results in Key State including one open seat, and pulled off a surprise defeat with the Legislative Races victory of Paul Evans (D) in HD 20, long held by Republican It appears that Democrats have over-achieved in Vicki Berger. Oregon in an off-presidential election year by buck- ing national trends, which further shifted the bal- SENATE ance of power towards Republicans in Congress, • Senate Democrats picked up the following seats: while taking control of the U.S. Senate. Democrats 4 Senate District 8 with (D) defeating incumbent increased their margin in both the Senate and the Betsy Close (R) Oregon House of Representatives. The Senate 4 Senate District 15 with (D) defeating incumbent Democrats picked up 2 seats to increase their ad- (R) vantage to 18-12. The House Democrats picked • The Democrats retained a key seat in District 3 with incumbent up one seat and now have a 35-25 advantage over Alan Bates (D). Senate President (D) in House Republicans. Both chambers are just one District 11 also retained his seat, in spite of an intense, negative seat shy of Democrat supermajorities. Republican campaign. Continued on page 2. www.oregonrentalhousing.com | 1462 Commercial St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 | 503-364-5468 | ©2013 Oregon Rental Housing Assoc. | All rights reserved. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE page 2

Next ORHA Thank You and Happy Holidays Board Meeting By Michael Steffen, ORHA President In this issue, Shawn Miller and Jim Straub provide recaps of recent election re- January 17, 2015 sults and a summary of coalition activities in their respective articles. I don’t have much to add this month, except to thank all of our delegates, staff and volunteers Salem for their continued work on behalf of ORHA. Their efforts continue to strengthen our organization.

Legislative Update for November 2014 By Jim Straub, ORHA Legislative Director 2014 General Election Results, continued from page 1. The Oregon Legislative Parties” on their tenants’ renters’ insurance Landlord-Tenant Coalition (which would allow the insurance company or Ballot Measures is currently in full swing agent to notify landlords if an insurance poli- • Ballot Measure 86: FAILED. Requires and, as your ORHA Legislative Director, I cy changes, lapses or is non-renewed), and creation of fund for Oregonians pursuing have attended all seven coalition meetings reviewing assistance animal laws in Oregon. post-secondary education, authorizes on your behalf. Our next coalition meeting will Tenant advocates have introduced topics in- state indebtedness to finance fund take place on December 3rd. Several topics cluding renegotiating the order in which ten- • Ballot Measure 87: PASSED. Amends of discussion remain on the negotiating ta- ants’ payments are applied to amounts due to Constitution: Permits employment of ble. A few “housekeeping” items have been landlords (such as whether or not rent pay- state judges by National Guard (military proposed that will not significantly change ments can first be applied to past-due dam- service) and state public universities landlord-tenant law, but will make existing law age obligations, for example), and responsi- (teaching) more readable or easier to apply for all stake- bility for damage done to rental units by peo- • Driver holders. Ballot Measure 88: FAILED. ple who are not tenants’ guests in domestic Cards Without Proof of US Citizenship Landlord advocates, including ORHA, have violence and similar situations. • Ballot Measure 89: PASSED. Equal introduced such topics as allowing landlords The coalition will continue to meet until ear- Rights Amendment for Women to be to pass-through more municipal fees to their ly January, so there is still time for these and Equal to Men tenants, clarifying landlords’ rights and obliga- other topics to develop. I welcome all ORHA • Ballot Measure 90: FAILED. Open tions in the event of a catastrophic event (such members’ feedback during this process. Primary Initiative as a house fire), removing the requirement Please contact your local organization with that landlords give tenants who have lived at your comments and suggestions, and your • Ballot Measure 91: PASSED. Control, rental properties for more than one year a 60 local ORHA legislative representative will for- Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana day notice to vacate (in other words, returning ward those comments to me. Keep an eye and Industrial Hemp Act the obligation to an equitable 30 days’ notice on future newsletters for more information • Ballot Measure 92: FAILED. Labeling to vacate from either landlords or tenants), and a final summary of the coalition’s Land- of Genetically Engineered Raw and allowing landlords to be listed as “Interested lord-Tenant Omnibus bill. Packaged Food

from the editor: The articles in this newsletter are intended to inform the membership and are not intended to convey legal, accounting or other advice. The articles are the oregonrentalhousing.com opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the official positions and/or the views of Oregon Rental Housing Association. The editor and ORHA assumes no liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the material provided in this Newsletter. Appropriate legal, Officers2014-2015 accounting or other expert assistance should be sought from competent professionals. Michael Steffen,President ORHA ADMINISTRATIVE & LEGISLATIVE STAFF Violet Wilson, Vice President Sibylle Beck, Treasurer For more information contact Maren Winters, Administrator | [email protected] Terry Flora-Turner, Secretary Maren at: (503) 364-5468 Shawn Miller, Lobbyist | [email protected] Dennis Chappa, Past President or [email protected] Jim Straub, Legislative Director | [email protected]