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Let’s look on the bright side of a federal invasion: It could bring down the rent.
Renting In Rose City
Maybe that’s the gallows humor you develop when the president keeps sending troops to crack down on cardboard signs. But it’s not really a joke: Portland’s average rent price stayed flat last year, according to the Portland Housing Bureau, as opposed to the annual spike of 5% to 7% we used to see back during peak Portlandia in the early 2010s. A few dumpster fires, a puff of tear gas, and all those Fox News clips? That’s a recipe for lowered demand. Thanks, Donald.
And make no mistake: This is a city of renters. Nearly half of our households are renters (47%, to be exact, but more on that in a minute). Chalk up some of that figure to the high bar for Portland homeownership. But also: Renting means never having to run to Lowe’s when something goes wrong.
Ownership requires an investment of time and money that doesn’t always work out even for folks who have both. Lots of people like not being anchored to any given spot. When my partner and I found our new home this winter, I enjoyed only having to worry about getting our stuff moved as opposed to using words like “escrow.”
Portland has strong renter protection laws, which we present along with other interesting rental facts—including what your neighbors are paying. We looked at some of Portland’s newest affordable housing communities and the amenities they offer. We rounded up some of our favorite spots to buy and sell vintage furniture and other pieces that pull together quintessentially Portland homes, and pulled advice from our magazine Nester on interior design projects that won’t make you lose your security deposit.
Home is more than your stuff and the walls and floors that hold it. It’s what you make of the world on both sides of your door. You and the people outside your door work hard to make Portland special, while the people inside make it special at any square feet. No matter where, why or how long you rent in Portland, you should feel safe in your security and style choices (especially at these prices).
Looming sweater weather marks the best time to appreciate our homes. No matter what out-of-towners say—be they critical family members or the head of homeland security—we know why we choose to rent in Rose City. —Andrew Jankowski, interim Arts & Culture editor
