Rent board schedules public hearing for Saunders Street rent increase after applicant provides additional invoices

The Portland Rent Board on June 25 conducted a completeness review of a revised rent increase application for 23 Saunders Street. The applicant had amended the original Unit 5 application to seek increases for the full property.

Applicant representative “Volley” told the board he had supplied a breakdown of utilities, insurance, property tax and owner-performed labor and had provided capital improvement descriptions. Board members requested additional documentation showing base-year expenses (2019) and the application year (2023), specifically itemized invoices or ledgers for repairs and other operating categories, and management-fee breakdowns for both years. The board asked the applicant to provide gas, electric, water and insurance bills/invoices for 2019 if available and to give more detail on repair-line items and receipts that support the $4,000+ repair total noted for 2023.

Why it matters: A completeness determination is a preliminary legal step required before a public hearing. The requested documents are intended to allow staff and the board to verify operating expense changes and to determine whether any capital expenditures should be amortized rather than treated as ordinary repairs.

What the board did: The board granted a conditional completeness finding and scheduled a public hearing for the board’s July 23, 2025 regular meeting, provided the applicant supplies the requested materials by July 9. Staff will send a written list of required items to the applicant. The board noted an audit had been opened by Licensing & Housing Safety the prior week and that additional audit findings could be available before the hearing.

Ending: The applicant agreed to submit itemized ledgers, invoices and utility bills as available and to work with staff to resolve any gaps. The board will revisit completeness if requested documents are not provided by the July 9 deadline.