2017 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 03 - Landlord-Tenant, Domestic Relations, Probate
Chapter 090 - Residential Landlord and Tenant
Section 90.440 - Termination of tenancy in group recovery home; recovery of possession; damages.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Group recovery home" means a place that provides occupants with shared living facilities and that meets the description of a group home under 42 U.S.C. 300x-25.
(b) "Illegal drugs" includes controlled substances or prescription drugs:
(A) For which the tenant does not have a valid prescription; or
(B) That are used by the tenant in a manner contrary to the prescribed regimen.
(c) "Marijuana item" has the meaning given that term in ORS 475B.015.
(d) "Peace officer" means:
(A) A sheriff, constable, marshal or deputy;
(B) A member of a state or city police force;
(C) A police officer commissioned by a university under ORS 352.121 or 353.125; or
(D) An authorized tribal police officer as defined in ORS 181A.680.
(2)(a) Notwithstanding ORS 90.375 and 90.435, a group recovery home may terminate a tenancy and peaceably remove a tenant without complying with ORS 105.105 to 105.168 if the tenant has used or possessed alcohol, a marijuana item or illegal drugs within the preceding seven days.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, the following are sufficient proof that a tenant has used or possessed alcohol, a marijuana item or illegal drugs:
(A) The tenant fails a test for alcohol, cannabis or illegal drug use;
(B) The tenant refuses a request made in good faith by the group recovery home that the tenant take a test for alcohol, cannabis or illegal drug use; or
(C) Any person has personally observed the tenant using or possessing alcohol, a marijuana item or illegal drugs.
(3) A group recovery home that undertakes the removal of a tenant under this section shall personally deliver to the tenant a written notice that:
(a) Describes why the tenant is being removed;
(b) Describes the proof that the tenant has used or possessed alcohol, a marijuana item or illegal drugs within the seven days preceding delivery of the notice;
(c) Specifies the date and time by which the tenant must move out of the group recovery home;
(d) Explains that if the removal was wrongful or in bad faith the tenant may seek injunctive relief to recover possession under ORS 105.121 and may bring an action to recover monetary damages; and
(e) Gives contact information for the local legal services office and for the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service, identifying those services as possible sources for free or reduced-cost legal services.
(4) A written notice in substantially the following form meets the requirements of subsection (3) of this section:
______________________________________________________________________________
This notice is to inform you that you must move out of ________ (insert address of group recovery home) by ________ (insert date and time that is not less than 24 hours after delivery of notice).
The reason for this notice is ________ (specify use or possession of alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs, as applicable, and dates of occurrence).
The proof of your use or possession is ________ (specify facts).
If you did not use or possess alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs within the seven days before delivery of this notice, if this notice was given in bad faith or if your group recovery home has not substantially complied with ORS 90.440, you may be able to get a court to order the group recovery home to let you move back in. You may also be able to recover monetary damages.
You may be eligible for free legal services at your local legal services office ________ (insert telephone number) or reduced fee legal services through the Oregon State Bar at 1-800-452-7636.
______________________________________________________________________________
(5) Within the notice period, a group recovery home shall allow a tenant removed under this section to follow any emergency departure plan that was prepared by the tenant and approved by the group recovery home at the time the tenancy began. If the removed tenant does not have an emergency departure plan, a representative of the group recovery home shall offer to take the removed tenant to a public shelter, detoxification center or similar location if existing in the community.
(6) The date and time for moving out specified in a notice under subsection (3) of this section must be at least 24 hours after the date and time the notice is delivered to the tenant. If the tenant remains on the group recovery home premises after the date and time for moving out specified in the notice, the tenant is a person remaining unlawfully in a dwelling as described in ORS 164.255 and not a person described in ORS 105.115. Only a peace officer may forcibly remove a tenant who remains on the group recovery home premises after the date and time specified for moving out.
(7) A group recovery home that removes a tenant under this section shall send a copy of the notice described in subsection (3) of this section to the Oregon Health Authority no later than 72 hours after delivering the notice to the tenant.
(8) A tenant who is removed under subsection (2) of this section may obtain injunctive relief to recover possession and may recover an amount equal to the greater of actual damages or three times the tenant’s monthly rent if:
(a) The group recovery home removed the tenant in bad faith or without substantially complying with this section; or
(b) If removal is under subsection (2)(b)(C) of this section, the removal was wrongful because the tenant did not use or possess alcohol, a marijuana item or illegal drugs.
(9) Notwithstanding ORS 12.125, a tenant who seeks to obtain injunctive relief to recover possession under ORS 105.121 must commence the action to seek relief not more than 90 days after the date specified in the notice for the tenant to move out.
(10) In any court action regarding the removal of a tenant under this section, a group recovery home may present evidence that the tenant used or possessed alcohol, a marijuana item or illegal drugs within seven days preceding the removal, whether or not the evidence was described in the notice required by subsection (3) of this section.
(11) This section does not prevent a group recovery home from terminating a tenancy as provided by any other provision of this chapter and evicting a tenant as provided in ORS 105.105 to 105.168. [2007 c.715 §3; 2009 c.595 §59; 2011 c.644 §§11,61,69; 2013 c.180 §§5,6; 2015 c.174 §3; 2017 c.21 §35]
