Portland Tenants United Picket Housing PAC

PORTLAND, OR- Portland Tenants United (PTU) is a Portland Metro-area tenants union that supports tenants' rights and opposes Portland’s rising eviction rates. PTU hosted National Renters Day of Action on Thursday, September 22nd. Gabriel Erbs, an organizer for PTU and an advocate of tenants rights, comments on PTU's motivation behind the protest.

"Tenants can be evicted, for whatever reason or no reason at all, at the landlords whim," said Gabriel Erbs, organizer for Portland Tenants United. "Multifamily Northwest kills tenant protection."

The Oregon House of Republicans PAC received $50,000 from Multifamily Northwest on September 14; these relationships with elected leaders inspired a picketed protest on the part of PTU.

PTU has spent time protesting inside City Hall and its members aren't strangers to disobeying legislative ordinances for people's rights.

"Our goal is to make it toxic for politicians to take money from Equitable Housing PAC," says Erbs.

Portland Tenants United is focused on lowering the eviction rates in Portland by organizing tenants to vocalize their concerns. PTU’s picket of the Multifamily NW trade show drew a crowd of roughly 2 dozen people, but Erbs insists the fight is far from over.

Interested in working with Portland Tenants United? Email PTU at info@pdxtu.org for more information about upcoming protests, actions and board meetings. You can also ask Portland Tenants United an anonymous question here.

Image via Portland Tenants United