3 out of 10 Grants Pass renters are "severely rent burdened"

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Being “rent-burdened” is a reality for many southern Oregonians, and a recent report by realtor.com named Grants Pass the third-most unaffordable housing market in the country when adjusted against income.

Dozens of residents met with city and elected officials to discuss that problem and solutions Monday night.

Oregon recognizes a household as “rent-burdened” if the renter is paying more than 30 percent of their gross income towards rent. Renter households paying more than 50 percent of their gross income toward rent are considered “severely rent-burdened.” In Grants Pass, six out of ten renters are rent-burdened, and three out of ten renters are severely burdened.

Monday night’s meeting gave residents a look at more statistics including causes, barriers and possible solutions.

“I think one of the things we really need to explore is zoning issues in the state of Oregon,” said State Senator Herman Baertschiger Jr, speaking only to NBC5 News. ” I think they need to be modernized, we really haven’t addressed those in 50 years, and I think maybe it’s time to start looking at some of the zoning issues that we experience.”

If you want more information or to see the presentation online, you can visit the city’s website.