Chapter 614 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

HB 3386

Relating to fire safety systems.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that:

(1) The best interest of the state is served by providing financial incentives for the installation of fire safety systems in multifamily housing.

(2) The design and nature of multifamily housing creates a higher fire risk than the risk to single family housing and exposes tenants to fire risks that are not within the control of the tenants.

(3) The presence of fire safety systems helps to defray costs for fire district equipment and equipment maintenance.

(4) Although the state building code allows local jurisdictions to require the installation of fire safety systems in new construction on a cost-neutral basis, there is no equivalent program for retrofitting or remodeling existing multifamily structures.

(5) A fire safety incentive program serves the purpose of providing financial incentive for the installation of fire safety systems in existing multifamily housing.

SECTION 2. (1) As used in this section:

(a) “District” means a rural fire protection district organized pursuant to ORS chapter 478.

(b) “Fire safety system” means a device or series of devices that protects structures from damage or destruction by fire, protects people from injury by fire or minimizes the effects of fire. “Fire safety system” includes, but is not limited to, automatic fire sprinkler systems.

(c) “Multifamily housing” means a structure established primarily to provide residential spaces and that provides more than one living unit. “Multifamily housing” does not include nursing homes, adult foster homes, hospitals, motels or hotels, dormitories or state institutions.

(d) “Owner” includes a purchaser under a recorded instrument of sale.

(2) A district may, by ordinance, establish a program that pays or repays to landlords part of the costs of installing fire safety systems in multifamily housing existing within the district on the effective date of the ordinance. Except as provided in this subsection, the district may establish the parameters of the program. A payment or repayment rate under the program may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of installing the fire safety system. The payment or repayment amount available for a property may not exceed the total amount paid during the preceding 10 years for all property taxes on the property, less any payment or repayment amount already provided for fire safety system installation on the property. The program must provide for the owner of the multifamily housing to apply on a form approved by the district. The program must include a uniform process for the evaluation of an application submitted by the owner of the multifamily housing. The uniform process must provide for a public hearing to determine whether the property qualifies for payment or repayment by the district.

Approved by the Governor June 26, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 26, 2001

Effective date January 1, 2002

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