Empowering Oregon Renters: How Rent Well Is Changing Lives

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Stable housing is the foundation of living safely, but for many people living across Oregon, the barriers to this stability include past evictions, credit challenges, or homelessness. That is where Rent Well comes in. Created in 2009 out of a coalition of housing advocates in the Portland metro area, Rent Well has grown into one of the premier sources of tenant education throughout the state. Through teaching key skills and providing actionable tools, Rent Well has equipped renters to overcome hurdles to obtain housing and build a pathway to stability.

A Lifeline for Renters Facing Challenges

Rent Well was designed for and taught to tenants who have been faced with several barriers to obtaining stable housing. This 15-hour course focuses on critical issues that will allow renters to learn their rights, to understand and negotiate complicated rental screening applications, and to effectively disclose issues in their past to their landlords. Due to a very valued partnership with Pacific Screening, graduates are walked through credit repair and taught how to keep healthy living spaces, and even have access to their own rental screening report.

 

More than information, Rent Well is about empowerment. Many leave as graduates with a newfound confidence and hope. As one recent graduate stated: "After taking Rent Well, I feel more confident presenting my barriers to a landlord". I don't feel the fear anymore. I feel hope."

 

For those who may feel that they have been held back from the rental market because of previous difficulties, this course or program provides a second chance. The Rent Well program is useful not only for those with housing challenges but also for anyone desiring to learn about their rights and responsibilities as renters.

 

Meeting the Need for Tenant Education

Although Rent Well's curriculum has been life-changing for thousands, expanding it to reach even more people remains a challenge. Most organizations teaching Rent Well face many challenges, such as underfunding, which makes it difficult or impossible to keep the program free for everyone who needs it. More recently, Rent Well began partnering with advocates like Multifamily NW, a large landlord association that is bringing attention to these funding needs back at the legislative level.

 

This support could translate to increased funding to ensure the program can maintain more in-person and online classes, delivering the resources to nonprofits to bring tenant education to community members across the state. With reliable funding, Rent Well can expose even more renters to the skills they need to confidently navigate the housing market.

Real Impact, Real Results 

Graduates of Rent Well are living proof of the program’s transformative impact. The testimony from past participants speaks volumes about the increased understanding of tenant rights to a stronger sense of stability.

 

"When my landlord looked at my housing portfolio and graduation certificate, they looked like it was gold." Another graduate said, “My Rent Well Support Specialist inspired me so much. Now I plan on going back to school to finish my degree in Social Work.” These voices tell the story of Rent Well's mission of helping people build a foundation of knowledge, resilience, and hope that makes sustainable housing possible.

Why Supporting Rent Well Matters 

Investing in tenant education equates to building stronger, more resilient communities. When people are equipped to rent responsibly, communicate with landlords, and understand their rights, they can take an active role in maintaining their housing. Rent Well is more than just a course; it's a passageway to a better, more stable life for many people in Oregon. 

 

To support Rent Well and help expand tenant education across Oregon, click here to learn more.

https://rentwell.org/about/

Attention: The Portland State University senior capstone for multimedia would love to hear from you. If you have the time, please click here to fill out a survey about your experience with housing.

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