Portland Pays Homeowners $1,000 to Rent Out a Room — Here's How to Apply

Get Paid to Share Your Home

If you own a home in Portland, Oregon and have a spare room, the city will pay you to rent it out. The Portland Home Sharing Pilot Program offers a one-time $1,000 grant to homeowners who lease a room through a qualifying home-sharing provider. You get an additional $500 for each extra room you rent out.

The program launched in February 2026 and runs for 12 months. It was backed by Mayor Keith Wilson with $500,000 in city budget funding.

How Much Can You Get?

• $1,000 one-time grant for the first room rented
• $500 for each additional room
• Payment is made after the room has been rented for 30 days

Who Qualifies?

To be eligible, you must:

• Own and live in the home (it must be your primary residence)
• Rent the room through one of the approved providers: PadSplit or Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
• Charge no more than $200 per week (about $800/month) for the room, including utilities and fees
• Make the room available to rent for at least one year
• Renters cannot be family or household members

How to Apply

The program is coordinated through the Portland Housing Bureau. Visit portland.gov/phb/home-sharing-pilot-program to review terms and sign up.

You apply through one of the two qualified providers — PadSplit or Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon — who will help match you with a renter.

Why Portland Is Doing This

Portland faces both a housing shortage and a homelessness crisis. This program puts underused rooms to work. Homeowners supplement their income, and renters get affordable housing options — especially in a market where rents can be hard to manage.

As Mayor Wilson said when announcing the program: "For many Portlanders, home sharing is a win-win solution."