Rent Well

Educating and empowering individuals through knowledge and self-advocacy skills to get the keys and keep the keys.

Rent Well® is a comprehensive tenant education program owned and managed by Transition Projects since 2016. This 15-hour curriculum provides individuals with information about their rights and responsibilities as a tenant to help them successfully navigate challenges in the rental world and become knowledgeable, responsible, and stable tenants. The course is available as a stand-alone eCourse or can be taught with live instruction, typically over 3 to 6 weeks.

During this course, individuals will learn:

  • To identify potential screening barriers

  • Understand how a landlord will screen prospective tenants

  • Review important personal records, such as credit, civil, and criminal reports

  • Create an individualized plan for stable housing

  • Build a household budget that makes paying rent a priority

  • Review rental agreements to understand common terms and expectations

  • Understand the landlord’s perspective

  • Communicate effectively with neighbors and landlords

  • How to move in and move out of rental units in a professional manner

  • Understand the eviction process and how to avoid it

  • How to maintain a clean, safe, and healthy home

"The Rent Well® course was the best thing for me. I could not have made it into housing any other way. Now, I am in my own place for the first time in over 13 years. I don't have to live in my truck, car, or in the woods. Truly, homelessness to housing."

- A Program Graduate

Beyond the tenant education course itself, Transition Projects also manages other important aspects of the Rent Well Program, such as the Tenant Educator Academy and the paired Rent Guarantee Fund.

The Tenant Educator Academy trains staff at nonprofit, publicly funded, or governmental agencies across Oregon and Washington on how to incorporate this curriculum into the services their agencies provide.

All Oregon courses are paired with Oregon Housing and Community Service’s (OHCS) Rent Guarantee Program, which allows a landlord to access up to $5,000 per eligible tenancy if a Rent Well® graduate leaves their rental unit within the first year and owes for damages beyond normal wear and tear, damages due to pets or assistance animals, disposal fees, eviction costs, and unpaid rent.

Contact Us

For questions about the Rent Well Program please send an email or call us at 503.515.1328.