Thread: OR: property owners&landlords up in arms over IA legisla

Oregon property owners and landlords up in arms over illegal immigrant legislation
April 30th, 2008

In February of 2008, the Oregon Legislature passed SB1080, a bill that prevents illegal immigrants from obtaining an Oregon driver’s license. This bill was passed to prevent driver’s license fraud, as well as to comply with the first steps necessary for homeland security regulations.

Basically this bill requires that prior to issuing, renewing or replacing a driver’s license, driving permit or identification card, that Oregon’s Driver and Motor Vehicles Services Division must ask license seekers for proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent legal status

According to property manager Clifford A. Hockley, President of Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services, some landlords are upset that this could lead to huge vacancies in their rental property. He believes that the vast majority of the illegal immigrants in this country are renters and if they can’t get a drivers license, they won’t be able to drive to work and get a job and therefore, these renters will move to another state where there are less restrictions and leave Oregon landords in the lurch.

Not sure what to make of this. I find it hard to defend the rights of those who are in this country illegally. Are landlords so desperate for renters that they would rather rent to criminals and illegal immigrants than have a vacancy? That just doesn’t seem like good business practice.
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I haven't heard much of this locally. I have thought about it, but the property owners should know better. They can control who they rent to.

Only if they are making a buck off of illegal aliens.

Dixie

Yep, for sure Dixie.

And, with all the foreclosings going on, those newly displaced former home "owners" will need somewhere to go. Having a large supply of rentals available actually is a badly needed and timely thing in the larger view of things.

According to property manager Clifford A. Hockley, President of Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services, some landlords are upset that this could lead to huge vacancies in their rental property. He believes that the vast majority of the illegal immigrants in this country are renters and if they can’t get a drivers license, they won’t be able to drive to work and get a job and therefore, these renters will move to another state where there are less restrictions and leave Oregon landords in the lurch.

So instead of working at a job they were going to get rich by collecting rent and through real estate appreciation? Fines against them would help our local governments pay the cost of policing of their properties.

Landlords have one thing in mind and that is profit. They will raise rents as quick as the law allows for anyone and if the can rent to five families per rental rather than one they make more money. They get rich quicker off illegals. Its all about the money.

Fines against them would help our local governments pay the cost of policing of their properties.

I have it from a good source (2nd hand, but quite reliable) that this is a well-known and perpetual problem for many of our local LE agencies. It is no small cost, nor small risk activity either. There is one locally well-known place [from my place] that the local police are constantly called to and patrol heavily. In fact, they won't respond to events involving groups of people late at night with an individual officer, only with multiple responders - it's too dangerous to the responding officers.

Translation: there is no 'living in the shadows', and there are lots of problems.

So instead of working at a job they were going to get rich by collecting rent and through real estate appreciation?

I don't live in oregon, however, I do have rental properties. My husband is self employed, and as such, property investments are our retirement fund/future income. We do not mistreat our tenants, and have had the same tenants for years, some, until they can save enough money to buy their own homes.

I own property in LA County, CA. in a heavily Hispanic, and now a heavily IA populated area. That was not the case, when I purchased this property years ago, but that's what it has turned into now. Several years ago, before most were aware of the IA invasion, and unbeknownst to me, I had what I now believe were IA's in two houses at the same time. Making a long story short, it ended up costing me thousands of dollars, to get them off and out of my property IE legal fees/court costs, lost income ( the mortgage payments continue even if there are no tenants to pay rent), and costs to repair the damage caused to my property, because, come to find out, there were 10 to 20 people living in the garages and inside the houses at any given time. I was also paying utilities bills, which by law, I had to continue paying through the long court process, and during the months the tenants lived in my house without paying rent.....right up to the day, I finally got them out ! When I notified the city, that there were people living in the garages ( it's against city ordinances ), the city threatened to fine ME ! Trust me, the laws are on the side of the tenant. I must adhere to health, and safety standards ( I would anyway). I am responsible for any repairs, broken windows, plumbing problems etc even if the tenants get drunk, party all night, and trash the house. All they have to do is call the Houseing Authorities ! They know every trick in the book about how NOT to pay rent, and how to circumvent eviction. You might be asking how it is there were that many people living there without my knowledge. They were masters at hiding any evidence that led me to believe anything was not as it should have been. I found out about one house because I'd sent a plumber to do some repairs, he spotted activity in the garage, and told me. I investigated and discovered the same thing going on at the other location. So, I take a little offense when people think being a landlady (lord) is all just $$ in my pocket.

I tend to agree with Nicie...I had a rental unit, and it was not rented to an illegal. But, it took me five months to get the tenant out and cost lots of money in court/service fees, etc. to remove the tenant. I too lost thousands of dollars in the process. The laws are favored for any tenant, regardless of legality.
I didn't rent a unit to make huge bucks, just to have a small income as a retired person. Landlords/landladies get stiffed more than you may know. Now the people that own big apartment complexes are a different matter.

Everybody has their own agenda, regardless of it affects on our country, it is always about me, me, me.