Well , hi everybody . I'm Bill Bateman , I'm part of the team here at OSTA , oregon State Tenants Association and it's time for an OSTA update , and it is the 25th of October . I've been getting a lot of questions about the survey , about the status of the bill , and here's the information I have at this time on this day , have at this time on this day . First of all , the bill for those of you who don't know was in fact written . It was the result of months of work by Pam Marsh and her committee , including Representative Neron , a number I can't name everybody because I'll forget someone , but a lot of people came together . I had the privilege of being part of that effort , some other OSTA folks , so this has totally been a group effort gaming , moving , working , whatever you want to call it getting in there to try and get this thing taken care of , and we have been successful . The result is we have been successful in producing an effective bill . Is we have been successful in producing an effective bill . That bill went to the judicial review process on the 25th of September and that has been percolating through the process and has been released . I understand it just came out and is ready for presentation and further review by the committee . So the bill has happened and the things we wanted and this is what's important . The rent cap has been suggested to be moved from the 10% to the COLA . The cost of living , the same thing that Social Security is the ability to raise the rent when you move out , instead of several hundred dollars or an arbitrary amount , is now going to be linked , hopefully , to 10% of the existing rent . It means if your rent's $700 , it doesn't go to $1,000 , it can go to $770 . Makes it a little easier to sell your home . And the artificial cosmetic improvements well , we just want all the coaches painted blue this month . That's kind of arbitrary and that is not happening either . Now , bear in mind folks and I've got to make this very clear this is step one . We've put a lot of good things in this bill , but there's no guarantee it's going to pass in that form . Think of it this way let's say you want blue and somebody else wants yellow . The final product is going to end up being green , because there's going to have to be some give and take on both sides . What's important is that we started out bright blue so that we can get as much of what we want as we hope to . There's been very little pushback so far , but that doesn't mean there won't be in the next step . What happens ? It's going to be introduced in the assembly . It'll have a name and a number and as soon as that's officially attached we'll get that information to you . Then it's time to start pushing Assembly Bill whatever that number is to our legislators . So it's happening . Thank you for your support so far .
Speaker 1The survey A lot of folks are saying what's going on with the survey . The survey is up , it's running . Responses were about 240 as of about five minutes ago . I got a complaint and I thought it was kind of interesting . Everybody says , well , we want this to be confidential and it is confidential . But somebody said after I took the survey I couldn't see the results . No , because if you could see them , everybody could see them . And then somebody say , oh , bill said this about us . Okay , no , we've got it set so the people running the survey can see it , but no one else . And OSTA is doing the survey and as a private nonprofit we are not subject to public disclosure laws , so nobody's going to know what you said to who about what .
Speaker 1We will be turning in the narratives . We will be turning in the comments and some of the information that folks have shared with us . It's absolutely fascinating . Like 97% of the people have been affected by the rent increases , the big things are not enough money for food , not enough money for medicine , unable to make rent , fear of eviction . This is not something that's happening to one or two people . This is something that's happening from Brookings all the way up to Portland . So this is documentation to go with the bill , to show that there is indeed a serious problem . So the survey is happening . That's good . Until the 5th of November Election Day .
Speaker 1We are going to put a link to the survey on the OSTA website . You can go there . If you're an OSTA member , you should have had a link come to you already If you didn't give us an email , and we'll be more than happy to follow up with you and make sure you get a link to the survey . We also have paper surveys . Now we don't want to just flood the country with those because anybody could pick one up , but if you would like one and you are an OSTU member , reach in on your membership account and we'll make sure one gets to you . So , electronic or paper , the surveys are still out . The surveys are still growing . I'm looking at 239 , 240 , and I'm thinking , well , I'd like to see 10 times that amount , but I'm really pleased to see what we've got so far .
Speaker 1We started out from ground zero , working , as we kind of building it . We're building an airplane as it's in flight Kind of difficult , it's working . Folks are getting involved , calls are happening , and I want to share a humorous story with you . I think it's kind of interesting . We learned that at one of the large meetings that the owners and managers have , one of the officials stood up and said guys , knock it off . I don't know whose idea it was to start causing this trouble for the tenants .
Speaker 1I'm in flooded with calls from legislators , from newspapers , from senators , assemblymen , from constituents what are you doing ? You're going to mess up a good thing . Stop it . Well , my advice is let's not stop it . Let's keep those calls and letters going . Now I'm going to suggest and this is my suggestion only the bill is going to be put into motion at the start of the legislative term . I think that's the end of January , maybe the first part of February . We'll get more information as it becomes available and when it does , that's when we're going to want to concentrate our efforts on key assembly members , key committee members , key senators and , as that information is available , come back here and we'll have it for you .
Speaker 1Right now , let's work at the city and local and county level County commissions , board of supervisors , whatever you have in your particular county and let's see if you can get a resolution passed for rent stabilization . Jackson County supports rent stabilization . That should not be too difficult . We'll be helping you out . We'll have online sessions on how to organize and how to get this done . Write to your local papers . If you don't have a local paper in your area , write to blogs or online forums . Don't get involved in fighting the trolls . Do not feed the trolls . There's always going to be somebody writing back , blah , blah , blah . Be factual , be fair , be civil , because we're nice old people , aren't we ? So let's get our word out locally .
Speaker 1For right now , as we get closer to launch date in the assembly , we will have information on who to send to and how to send to it , and I'd really , really like to get us up to Salem for a legislative day . That is in the works . It's going to be hard . We're going to need a sponsor , we're going to need somebody to step up , but seniors as cash cows I just I don't accept that . That's not good . So , checking in as of today , the bill has been written . The bill has cleared the legislative hurdle . The bill is in its final review process and getting ready to be submitted . It'll have a title and a number . As soon as that's available , you'll know it and we'll have some more information on who to contact and , if you need to , we'll have some online workshops on the best way to do that . I know a lot of people are champing at the bit , and that's great energy . Use your energy right now to make sure everybody gets a survey and gets a chance for some confidential input . That input is going to go to our legislative review team and eventually to legislators . So that's what's going on as of today , legislators . So that's what's going on as of today and that's what's going on as far as the bill and the survey .
Speaker 1I put the link to OSTA on the front of the podcast and , by the way , as you know , they are currently giving OSTA is currently giving a welcome back discount . Now people were saying Osta kind of fell apart and it did . People died and people retired and people got sick . It happens . So we're back . We're better than ever . We can see we're obviously active .
Speaker 1And if you'd like to come back , if you're a former member , you can do it for half price $15 . Now some people popped up and said hey , bill , now hang on here . What about new members ? Yes , you can come in for $15 too . That's half price . And if you're an existing member and you're feeling a little slighted , don't . You can come in for $15 to renew . So that offer is good through November the 5th . You are invited . There's a code on the website and that will , when entered on the website , will give you the
discount .
Speaker 1So , previous member , present member , new member come on in the water is fine , we're going to be keeping you up to date the best we can . And the missing piece in this puzzle is you , because I can do so much , our team can do so much . We need you to stand up to be counted , and folks I've gotten involved with in the past six months have been really amazed what just a little organization and what some appropriate teamwork can do to solve a problem . Not going to solve them all . Some problems often you can fix ignorance , but devout stupidity is going to require a miracle . We're going to work on it , and who knows , we may get to do a miracle at some point . Let's keep informed , let's keep active , let's keep each other supported , and with that I'll say goodbye for today . Thank you , and have a good weekend .