Rescission of Multnomah County Ordinance 1287 - Eviction Moratorium

On January 14, 2021, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted to rescind Ordinance 1287, the eviction moratorium implemented by the County and adopted by the City of Portland in addition to the state moratorium issued in HB 4401. The rescission is effective on February 1, 2021. The elimination of Ordinance 1287 significantly simplifies legal compliance.

Ironically, one major question that remains unresolved is whether Ordinance 1287 remains effective in the City of Portland since it is no longer applicable to Multnomah County. It is unclear whether the County’s rescission of its own ordinance has any effect upon the City’s adoption of that same Ordinance. High ranking officials in City government have stated they believe the Ordinance has been rescinded in both jurisdictions.

Housing providers in Multnomah County simply need to ensure compliance with HB 4401, detailed in previous update posted on December 22, 2020. Housing providers in the City or Portland must determine their comfort level with taking this same approach based on the factors discussed above.

The change of law will have limited impact on your forms with the exception of the disclosure on balance reminders. For Multifamily NW Forms Collection users, please look for an update to that form effective on February 1, 2021.

This article is not intended as legal advice. Please obtain advice of an attorney for any policy change or decisions regarding residential Landlord- Tenant matters.