Evaluating Expanded Right to Redemption in Nonpayment Eviction Proceedings: Evidence from Oregon’s House Bill 2001

Abstract

This study examines whether legislative expansion of the tenant right to redemption effectively improved legal outcomes for tenants in nonpayment eviction proceedings. In particular, we focus on the effectiveness of Oregon’s House Bill 2001 (HB 2001) on nonpayment eviction cases filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Oregon. Using eviction records and documents from nonpayment eviction proceedings, we evaluate whether HB 2001 reduces reliance on stipulated agreements and improves legal outcomes for tenants who pursue formal adjudication and whether stipulated agreements filed in the post-reform period align with the statute’s protections. Our analyses reveal that there is a significant decline in cases using stipulated agreements and a corresponding increase in case dismissals after the enactment of HB 2001. At the same time, however, landlords have continued extracting concessions exceeding statutory requirements through stipulated agreements. We conclude that legislative protections must be paired with increased access to legal counsel to ensure substantive housing justice.