Hello, I’m Coty Thurman bringing you a rental market update for the Portland Vancouver Metro region for November 2025.
Washington
Let’s start in Washington, where big changes are happening. The state just joined Oregon in passing rent stabilization and setting limits on rent increases statewide. And right on time, the City of Vancouver also launched a new rental registration program that will start in 2026.
The thirty dollar registration fee will help establish a citywide database and inspection program. It means a bit more paperwork for housing providers, but it also adds visibility and accountability, which ultimately benefits everyone.
Vacancy
The latest data from Multifamily North West’s Fall Report shows that Clark County continues to be the star of the metro area. The biggest change: East Vancouver’s vacancy fell from 6.2 down to 4.3 percent. Downtown Portland also moved in the right direction (heeey), with a small but steady decline in the number of vacant units.
Inner Southeast, on the other hand, saw vacancy rates move in the opposite direction. An increase of three percent. A reminder that the recalibration of our city is in full swing.
While the Multifamily North West report focuses mainly on apartments, we manage single-family homes and we noticed that our own trends.
On average, it takes about 18 days to find an approved candidate, which occasionally means you may have to offer a small lease adjustment or a move to find the right tenant. Even with this, rental prices remain stable, with new leases being signed at 99% of the previous tenant’s rental level.
Okay, let’s talk about the topic that no one likes: evictions.
Since Senate Bill 2001 passed in Oregon two years ago, most rental assistance programs now require a formal eviction filing before a tenant’s request for assistance is taken seriously. No lawsuit = no money. That means landlords are filing evictions just to get the ball rolling, which obviously creates tension between landlords and tenants.
Add to that the backlog of courts in Oregon — where cases in Multnomah County can take more than four months — and it’s no surprise that both renters and property owners are exhausted. It’s difficult for housing providers trying to manage both sides. Like, very difficult.
We’ve made some sharp turns on housing policy lately, and it’s time to get back on a path that works for everyone. Because at the end of the day, behind every lease are real people: residents working to stay housed and owners trying to make sense of their investments. The layers of regulation have made it harder to navigate these moments with empathy… and honestly, it has taken away some of the joy of serving this industry that I care so deeply about.
Yet I am confident that we will find a solution: to allow landlords to continue investing in our city and to ensure that tenants continue to have options outside the large apartment complexes.
Make a move
As we enter a season of gratitude, I will raise my glass to stability, human connection, and continuing to make space to live.
#Portland #Vancouver #Metro #Region #Market #Update #November #Living #Room #Realty