It is the case in New York City, and also in this California Bill (I don't know the case in Oregon) that you can charge a tenant less than the "legal" rent by offering incentives and discounts.
In other words, it is totally permissible to increase the legal rent by the officially allowed 7%, but increase the effective rent paid by your tenants by only 2% (or whatever you want). There does not appear to be any restrictions about removing such incentives/concessions/discounts in the future.
It also appears that the California law resets as soon as the tenancy changes hands; so as soon as there is a vacancy the landlord is free to increase the rent by as much as they want. This is not the case for NYC rent stabilization; there the increase in the legal rent is a property of the unit, not of the tenancy.
In other words, it is totally permissible to increase the legal rent by the officially allowed 7%, but increase the effective rent paid by your tenants by only 2% (or whatever you want). There does not appear to be any restrictions about removing such incentives/concessions/discounts in the future.
It also appears that the California law resets as soon as the tenancy changes hands; so as soon as there is a vacancy the landlord is free to increase the rent by as much as they want. This is not the case for NYC rent stabilization; there the increase in the legal rent is a property of the unit, not of the tenancy.