CAT Stands Against 50% Rent Hike at North Portland Complex

Residents at the Prescott apartment building in Portland’s Overlook neighborhood recently received a 30-50% rent increase — what’s worse is this building is supposed to be “affordable housing”. What that shakes out to, is about a $400 increase on the high end. The 31 low-income tenants impacted by this increase are supposed to be protected by the City’s Multiple-Unit Limited Tax Exemption (or MULTE) that incentivizes landlords to provide below market-rate units in exchange for waiving property tax payments for apartments. After the building was sold to a new landlord, Green Cities, a loophole allowed them to jack up the rents — and that’s exactly what they did.

A rally was held outside of the apartments earlier this month, decrying the increase. Some CAT staff was able to join in solidarity, including our Executive Director Kim McCarty who spoke.

Here’s an excerpt of her remarks via reporting from Portland Mercury:

"A 400 dollar rent increase is an eviction notice," said Kim McCarty, director of CAT. "And where is this money going? Is it going back into the community? No."

McCarty pressed local and state lawmakers to make changes to the rental laws that have allowed places like the Prescott to legally impose these types of rent hikes. Her call was echoed by former Portland city commissioner Chloe Eudaly.”

We stand in solidarity with the Prescott Tenants Union!