Southeast Portland tenants call for rent strike

(August 2, 2018) 25 residents of an apartment building in Southeast Portland called for a rent strike last week. They are going to stop paying rent. The tenants (another word for residents) complain of bugs, mold, water leaks and other damage. They say their landlord increased rents 9.9% this year but did not fix problems in the buildings.

Attorneys tell the residents to be careful. They must follow state law. Otherwise, the landlord can try to evict the tenants, say the lawyers. The rules about rent can be confusing, and some of the tenants are immigrants who don't speak English.

"Immigrants and refugees coming to our community need to be able to stay and not be pushed out," says Margot Black of an organization called Portland Tenants United.

The residents will pay their rent into a separate bank account during the rent strike. They hope the rent strike leads to more discussion with the owner of the buildings. They want to stay in their apartments, and they want the problems to be fixed. However, they worry about eviction. If the landlord tries to evict the tenants, then everyone must talk to a judge.