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Milwaukie council debates plan to tie utility accounts to property owners; concerns raised for renters and low‑income households
Summary
City staff proposed a code change making property owners responsible for utility accounts to enable liens and reduce collections costs; councilors and residents warned it could leave landlords liable for tenant nonpayment and could have unfair consequences for seniors and low‑income renters.
City staff proposed changing Milwaukie's utility code to make property owners the default account holders for residential single-family utility service, a move intended to reduce unpaid balances and let the city place liens on properties to recoup fees.
Michael Osborne (director) said the proposal would define "property owner" as the individual or entity that legally owns property within the city and shift responsibility for water and other city fees to that owner until a notice of termination or reasonable proof of new ownership is provided. Staff argued the change would reduce billing gaps during vacancy, remove the city as an ineffective middleman when tenants leave, and provide a clearer…
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