9/28/2022 - 1:58 PM

City Alerts Landlords & Tenants to Allowable Rent Increases Per CPI & Tax Rate Adjustment
Informs Landlords of supplemental information required during this year’s long-term rental registration

 
The City of Portland would like to inform landlords and tenants that the City has published the new allowable rent increase per the consumer price index (CPI) as well as the allowable tax rate rent adjustment. 
 
In accordance with the Rent Control ordinance (Portland City Code, Chapter 6, Sec. 6-234(a)), on September 1 of each year, the Housing Safety Office is tasked with establishing and publishing the Allowable Increase Percentage and the Tax Rate Rent Adjustment for the following calendar year.
 
Based on the most recent available data from the Bureau of Labor Standards, from July 2021 to July 2022, the CPI-U for the greater Boston metro area advanced 7.0%. Therefore, the Annual Increase Percentage for calendar year 2023 is 7.0%.
 
Tax Rate Rent Adjustments are available if the City changes the mil rate as compared to the previous year and the property owner's taxes increase. The mil rate for the City has changed for this year therefore landlords are eligible to take the Tax Rate Rent Adjustments for 2023 if their taxes increased. The mil rate for fiscal year 2023 is $13.61.
 
Additionally, landlords and property managers should be aware that the City’s annual rental registration process is soon upon us. Long Term and Short Term Rental Renewals for 2023 are expected to be mailed out the first week of November. 
 
The City is strongly encouraging landlords and property owners to renew their registrations online via our Citizen Self Service portal (CSS). This not only makes the process easier for those renewing their units, but it allows City staff to process the registrations more quickly and efficiently. Staff recommends that applicants log into CSS as soon as possible to ensure that their Long Term Rental (LTR) Licenses are displaying on their account. Please contact the Housing Safety Office at blcss@portlandmaine.gov if your LTR License is not linked to your account.
 
Landlords and property owners should also be aware that according to the new requirements of City Code, when registering a unit, a supplemental form with the following information must be supplied:

•  The current rent charged at the time of registration;  
• The increase in rent (if any) when compared to the previous Rental Year’s rent;  
• Whether the increase (if any) is attributable to: 
  • the Allowable Increase Percentage and Tax Rate Rent Adjustment, as defined in Section 6-232;
  • or also includes Banked Rent, as defined in Section 6-232;
• The amount of Banked Rent, if any, accumulated in the previous Rental Year;  
• The amount of security deposits or other payments demanded in addition to rent for each Covered Unit; and  
• The number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, and the presence or absence of a kitchen from each Covered Unit.  

The Permitting & Inspections Department is creating a Frequently Asked Questions document to help guide landlords and property owners through the registration and supplemental form process. That information will be available in October on our Rental Registration page.