Portland affordable housing tenants speak out after nearly 50% rent spike

by: Elise Haas

Posted: Sep 20, 2022 / 09:38 PM PDT

Updated: Sep 20, 2022 / 10:35 PM PDT

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Tenants in affordable apartments in North Portland came to KOIN 6 News after they say their landlord increased rent by nearly 50% in some cases.

City officials admit this scenario these tenants are in is the perfect storm with the city’s (MULTE) affordable rent program expiring soon, COVID assistance waning and the state decision to now allow landlord’s a 14.6% maximum rent increase.

However, the residents that KOIN 6 News talked to said their landlords are raising their rents by well over the maximum, adding up to hundreds of dollars.

Kelsey Schreiner is raising her 4-year-old daughter in a one-bedroom apartment in North Portland while going to school full time to become a psychologist.

“What am I going to do or how am I going to potentially pay for this?” Schreiner said.

Schreiner has been able to afford rent at The Prescott apartments because the property was part of the city’s program where the landlord gets a tax exemption for offering some of their rooms to low-income tenants at affordable rates.

But Green Cities Company took over the Prescott Property in the last year and a half. Recently, they issued Schreiner and around 30 other low-income tenants a notice saying they are raising the rent in 90 days.

In Schreiner’s case, it’s going up by $403.

“Nobody can believe this is legal and this was able to happen the way that this program was managed and put together was wrong and it failed us,” Schreiner said.

Continue reading at KOIN