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The City of Portland continues to tighten its grip on local landlords. It has temporarily amended its housing code to provide thatif anyrent increase effective between September 16, 2020 and March 31, 2021 is received and the tenant is unable to pay the increased amount, the renter is potentially eligible for Relocation Assistance from the landlord. See: Portland City Code,  PCC 30.01.085. 

Question:  We require that the application for residency in our manufactured housing community be completely filled out - including Social Security numbers.  We require two pieces of identification - one may be a social security card.  However, my understanding is that you cannot use a social security card for identification.  Is that true? 

We have had some real estate brokers object and tell us that it is against law do deny a person occupancy because they do not have a social security number.  Some applicants have an ITIN (individual taxpayer identification number).  

The screening company has said they cannot do a credit check with ITIN - they need a social security number.  

So, my questions are: (a) Is it illegal to requirea social security number; and (b) would it be a violation of the Fair Housing Laws to deny an applicant because they do not have a social security number?