Portland Tenants United protests against rising rents, no-cause evictions

PORTLAND, Ore. — People fed up with rising rents and no-cause evictions are keeping the pressure on the City of Portland.

The group, Portland Tenants United, demonstrated Thursday outside the Multnomah County Courthouse.

The flood of new Rose City residents, combined with an apartment shortage, has sent rent prices soaring.

But protesters say there are more than market forces at play here and that the city needs to step in.

"50 percent of our population are renters, we're all skating on thin ice, worried about an eviction, worried about a rent increase, wondering where we'll go when we get that, so I think it's come to a head," Lucy Berger with Tenants United said.

They're calling for a city-wide rent freeze, something Commissioner-elect Chloe Eudaly has supported as a candidate. Rent control is currently banned under state law.