Question For You Renters Or Landlords (Portland: fit in, section 8, 2013)

[Minervah]

On top of my annual $15.00 rent increase which I expected I got an additional increase of $8.00 which according to my landlord is due to the two bond measures passing in the last election that increased property taxes over and above the annual 3%.

I was just wondering how others were gearing up for this. It dosen't sound like a lot I know, but having to retire early due to a disability. Ouch!

[hamellr]

Your annual rent increase is only $15.00? Wow!!! I've never had less then $35, and usually it's $50 or $75 which has led to a few unexpected last minute moves.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Your annual rent increase is only $15.00? Wow!!! I've never had less then $35, and usually it's $50 or $75 which has led to a few unexpected last minute moves.

Now you know my secret and how I have been able to live in this neighborhood for so long. I have the nicest landlord in the universe.

I have gotten as much as a $200 rent raise one time at an apartment in Portland. Another time it was $100. So I know all about the crazy rent increases that people get here. Some were in my present neighborhood some were in others.

In the twenty something years I have lived in this neighborhood, I must have moved at least five times each time because the rents were raised so high.

Okay, so when I moved to this building, I discovered that my landlord, in order to keep good tenants, tried to keep his rent increases as low as possible. But they were still higher than $15.00. When he discovered a couple of years ago that I had to retire on disability he began charging me the $15.00 a month more each year. Another neighbor lived in my building for twenty years. She became a section 8 due to a heart condition after ten years and he continued to keep her on.

Yes, I know, a landlord with a good heart. They do exist.

I wasn't complaining about the rent increase I knew it had to come. I was just wondering how the passing of the bonds had affected everyone else regarding property taxes. I have my opinion of some of the bonds and now that they are a reality how people feel about anteing up for them.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

I was just wondering how the passing of the bonds had affected everyone else regarding property taxes.

I own two houses in SE Portland.

I am paying aboutr 500 bucks more in property taxes (the two houses combined) than last year.
The property tax bill is a little over $4500.00 a year for each house.
That's almost $12.50 a day for the privilege of owning a house in Portland.

I am in no hurry to sell the houses, but as soon as the market picks up again, I am going to unload them.

[sayulita]

Don't forget you're getting a 1.7% Social Security increase. Maybe that will cover it.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by sayulita

Don't forget you're getting a 1.7% Social Security increase. Maybe that will cover it.

Source.

[sayulita]

Social Security Press Office: Social Security Announces 1.7 Percent Benefit Increase for 2013

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I suspect that tenants often vote in favor of new taxes because they mistakenly think that they don't pay property taxes because they rent and don't own. Taxes go up, then rent has to go up to pay for it.

[hamellr]

I am fine with rent going up to cover taxes and due to demand. The part that got me was when my rent went up (American Property was the worse about this, but Kerr was almost as bad,) yet they would advertise apartments for under what I was already paying before the rent increase.

And then "company rules," keeps you from applying to move to the cheaper apartment. AP did that to me twice! Apparently I didn't learn my lesson the first time. A third company tried it but backed down when I pointed it out and that I would be talking to a lawyer if they went ahead with it.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I suspect that tenants often vote in favor of new taxes because they mistakenly think that they don't pay property taxes because they rent and don't own. Taxes go up, then rent has to go up to pay for it.

You are probably right. As a life long renter, I always take that into consideration when I vote. I did vote for one of the bonds this time around.