Portland’s Parkside neighborhood is one of the most affordable in the city, and, as a renter there, I’m lucky to live in an apartment I can afford. Strong rent control protects tenants like me from rapidly rising rents.
Question A puts that at risk.
If it passes, Question A would exempt an estimated 4,300 apartments from rent control, including mine. That is because they’re owned by “small landlords,” or landlords owning fewer than 10 units. With three-unit buildings in Portland selling for close to $1 million, these “small landlords” are almost always multi-millionaires. For the nearly 9,000 working-class tenants who rent from “small landlords” in Portland, Question A would mean higher rent, and, for many, it would mean finding a new place to live.
A “No” vote on Question A will be an easy choice for me on Nov. 7. Please join me.
Andrew Blunt
Portland
Send questions/comments to the editors.
