By: Violet Wilson, ORHA President
October 2026

VOTE FOR YOUR SAFETY

Recently, I was approached by reporter Tanvi Varma of Channel KATU asking me to comment on a Portland State University’s Center for Real Estate industry survey. The survey focused on safety and security in property management. Some selected responses point out the current climate for many of us in property management:

• 69.50% of respondents sometimes encounter situations at work that make them feel concerned for their personal safety.
• Concerns about safety & security somewhat or very much affected the majority of respondents with regards to stress levels (70.72%) and mental well-being (62.02%).
• Tenant interactions that are likely to become confrontational are half or most of the time court eviction-related activities (37.5%), lease enforcements (31%) and complaints (27.5%).
• 58.27% of respondents have avoided a tenant interaction out of concern for their safety.
• Over the past 12 months, 20.3% of respondents experienced verbal abuse half or most of the time. Additionally, the majority of respondents experienced verbal abuse (60.15%) or intimidation (50.78%) sometimes.
• 54.33% respondents state that aggressive or difficult tenants affect other tenants at least half the time, if not more often.

These situations often lead “good” tenants to leave. Over 50% of respondents do not believe current laws provide adequate protection for individuals working at properties and experiencing threats, harassment or violence.

• 67.76% of respondents felt that existing laws or regulations have limited their ability to address the behavior of individuals who pose a safety or security risk.
• 75.70% of respondents requested assistance from security or law enforcement during an interaction with a tenant, visitor or other type of individual at work.
• 47.06% were extremely or somewhat dissatisfied with the response of law enforcement when they reported threats or security concerns.
• 58.80% do not believe law enforcement has sufficient tools and authority to respond effectively to threats against property management professionals.

Respondents provide a variety of solutions to improve their safety and security at work such as listening, understanding and respecting property management professionals more, improving their working conditions, increasing security on properties, considering legislation to improve workplace safety, increasing tenant accountability, improving the ability to screen and report tenants, increasing the ability to evict tenants, particularly aggressive ones, and speeding up the eviction process, revising existing tenant and other laws, better enforcing existing laws, improving law enforcement response and training, improving support for behavioral issues of tenants and addressing public safety issues.

This survey underscores why voting matters. We need laws that allow property managers and owners to enforce existing protections promptly, as well as new measures that give us the authority to safeguard ourselves and our tenants. Everyone deserves to work and live in a safe environment.

Review the election information carefully and learn where each candidate stands. No candidate will meet every criterion, but identify the one who most closely reflects your priorities—especially the candidate most likely to address the safety, enforcement, and legal challenges facing property managers and owners.

And remember to vote by November 3, 2026.