These reports provide insight into how the eviction process works in eviction and how court process and procedures vary across the state.
Beyond the Shadow of Large Cities: Small and Mid-Sized Cities as Hidden Epicenters of Eviction
Most eviction research focuses on large cities, leaving us with limited knowledge of evictions in smaller cities. Our analysis of evictions in three small and mid-sized cities in Oregon reveals that these cities can also experience severe eviction crises. By collecting and hand-coding data from justice courts, we provide a comprehensive view of evictions in these cities–including the role different types of courts play–for the first time
Eviction Court in Multnomah County: Improved Legal Outcomes for Tenants Amidst Rising Eviction Filings
To examine how court processes at the Multnomah County Circuit Court impact tenants, our team conducted a series of court observations at the downtown courthouse between October and December 2023. Drawing on court record data and our court observations, we examined how the court handled the increasing size of eviction dockets during this period, the availability of legal assistance and other onsite services for tenants, the court’s implementation of new rules from Oregon House Bill 2001 (HB 2001), and any changes HB 2001 had on eviction case outcomes in Multnomah County
Displaced: Distinguishing Housing Outcomes from Judicial Outcomes in Oregon’s Eviction Cases
Housing outcomes differ from judicial outcomes, which refers to the legal outcome of an eviction lawsuit. Researchers and policymakers often rely on judicial outcomes as a proxy for housing outcomes. Studies have relied on judgments of eviction to estimate tenant displacement during the eviction process. However, tenants can be displaced during the eviction process without a judgment of eviction being issued against them. Similarly, the dismissal of an eviction case is often assumed to mean that the tenant has remained in their home. In reality, some eviction cases are dismissed because the tenant has either already moved out or agreed to leave. Recognizing that judicial outcomes and housing outcomes are distinct allows us to measure them independently. By doing so, we can use both metrics to guide policy making and program evaluations that prioritize housing stability and retention. This report defines housing outcomes, describes the method we developed to determine housing outcomes using court records and case documents, and demonstrates how housing outcomes differ from judicial outcomes.