Measure 118 Endorsed by Major Tenant Organizations Representing Renters Across Oregon
The $1,600 Oregon Rebate would significantly aid renters facing an affordability crisis & housing instability
PORTLAND – Measure 118, the ballot measure that guarantees every Oregonian a yearly direct payment or “rebate” of $1,600, has been endorsed by two major Oregon tenant-rights organizations, including Community Alliance of Tenants and Portland Tenants United. Both organizations represent tens of thousands of Oregon renters and engage in organizing, direct action, and coalition building to educate and empower tenants to demand safe, stable, and affordable rental homes.
Oregon has one of the highest rates of rent burden in the country, with nearly half of all renters paying more than 30% of their income on housing. Worse, more than half of renters in the state don’t have enough money after paying rent to afford other basics, including food, child care, and transportation.
“Measure 118 is a lifeline for Oregon renters facing skyrocketing costs," said Kim McCarty, Executive Director of Community Alliance of Tenants. "This rebate provides immediate relief in a volatile and often predatory housing market. For too many, a $1,600 check is the difference between a stable home and homelessness," she said, adding that since the pandemic, “Oregon is seeing the highest rate of evictions in the state's history.”
This affordability crisis has been exacerbated by a shortage of affordable housing units and rising rents. As a result, there is a growing need for assistance programs and policies, such as Measure 118, that can help Oregonians manage rental prices and avoid housing instability.
The $1,600 rebate covers one month of rent in the Portland metropolitan area as, according to the Ford Foundation in 2024, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) price for a one-bedroom apartment in Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill counties is $1,512. It also covers almost all of a 10% maximum allowable annual rent increase.
Research also shows that direct cash payments, like the Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively reduced financial distress among low-income renters. A report by the Urban Institute indicated that stimulus payments helped tenants avoid eviction and pay off rent debt, offering significant short-term relief.
"According to our survey of Portland renters this past year, two out of three renters saw their rent increase at an average increase of 9.5%. That's an extra $1,800,” said Leeor Schweitzer, organizer with Portland Tenants United. “When rents go up so much, tenants report cutting back on food and medicine to make up for it. The Oregon Rebate won't replace needed tenants rights, but it will wipe away this rent increase and provide much needed support for low-income renters."
The rebate will go to every resident living in the state for more than 200 days, including minors. Measure 118 will increase the minimum corporate tax rate after $25 million of in-state revenue by 3%. The proposed increase raises at least $7 billion annually and is estimated to cut the state’s poverty by a quarter or more, according to Policy Engine.
The measure has drawn comparisons to popular independent-leaning policies like The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend and the popular pandemic-era Child Tax Credit. At an amount on par with pandemic-era stimulus checks, all Oregonians can expect similar financial stability and food security increases. However, unlike government stimulus payments, Measure 118 is revenue-neutral to the state and would occur every year.
Learn more about the first-of-its-kind Oregon rebate officially qualifying for the November ballot and find us at yesonmeasure118.com and on Twitter and Instagram.
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