What FAIR is, briefly
Portland's Fair Access In Renting Ordinance — FAIR — sets a specific framework for how landlords and property managers in the city can screen rental applicants. It does two main things. First, it establishes either a Low-Barrier or Standard screening track that landlords must choose and disclose. Second, it caps security deposits, requires individualized assessment of negative records, and creates a 72-hour window during which applications must be processed in the order received.
Cedar uses the Standard track. We disclose our criteria — credit minimum 640, income 2.5x rent, two years rental history, no judgments in seven years — on every listing, in plain English, before any application fee is collected. That part hasn't changed.
What's different in 2026
A few practical things have shifted since last year that are worth knowing if you're applying or if you're an owner.
Documentation expectations are tighter. Adverse-action letters now have to specifically identify which screening criterion the application failed and what supplemental documentation, if any, would be considered for an individualized assessment. We've updated our template to match. If you're declined, you'll get a letter that tells you exactly why and what could change the outcome.
The 72-hour window is being enforced. Two years ago, the city's enforcement mechanism for the in-order processing rule was largely complaint-driven and rare. As of the start of this year, the Housing Bureau is actively reviewing applications-received logs from a sample of large managers. We've always processed in order, but we now also keep a timestamped log we'd be happy to provide on request.
Source-of-income protections are unchanged but clarified. Section 8 vouchers, VASH, and similar instruments must be considered on equal footing. Oregon state law has reinforced the city ordinance here. We accept all of these and have for years.
What it means for you
If you're a renter applying with us, FAIR is mostly invisible — it's all behind the scenes. Our criteria are on every listing. Applications are reviewed in order of receipt. Decisions come within one business day. If we have to decline, we tell you why and what would change it.
If you're an owner thinking about self-managing in Portland, FAIR is the single biggest reason we'd push back gently. The ordinance is workable but it has teeth, and the documentation burden is higher than people expect. Most of the FAIR-related fines we've seen levied in the last two years have hit owners who tried to manage their own units without getting current on the rules. If you're going to self-manage, get current.