Starting next spring, Eugene homes that are up for sale will have to disclose how energy efficient they are.
Eugene City Council approved the new ordinance in a 6-to-1 vote Wednesday. It will require some sellers to undergo a Home Energy Score assessment before listing a dwelling unit and to make the rating publicly accessible.
The assessments would look at factors like insulation and heating and cool systems. They could cost between $150 and $250, according to the city's estimates.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Councilor Alan Zelenka said the policy could help Eugene reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
“Other cities have had this program for years, and what we've learned from that is that it's very effective, very efficient, with little to no impact on the sell-buy process or on price," said Zelenka.
In Oregon, the cities of Portland, Milwaukie, Hillsboro, and Bend already have similar laws in place.
Several Eugene climate advocates pushed the city to adopt this policy after an attempted partial ban on natural gas hookups hit legal roadblocks.
Councilor Mike Clark cast the sole vote against the ordinance. He said he was against adding another cost when homebuying is already very expensive.
"I believe that this is a great deal more about creating a database of everybody's home in Eugene than it is about serving buyers and their best interests," he said.
Councilor Matt Keating called for further discussions about how to provide this type of information to city renters.
The new requirements will go into effect six months after receiving Mayor Kaarin Knudson's signature.
