These people got a great deal with below market rent for years, attacking the new owner personally for now charging a market rate on a property that he certainly paid for based on what market rate rents would be is inappropriate. It is great that the mercury redacted the phone number and address but they should have redacted his name as well.

econoline: "These people got a great deal"?

Wtf are you smoking? These people work every day to make the owners of a shithole rich. Something's got to be done about the obscene rent gouging in this city, and apparently our Council can't be bothered to do it.

PTU has the support of this entire community --minus the greedy landlords and their clueless apologists like yourself --to take a stand aghainst this immoral and community-destroying behavior.

They weren't paying below market rents. The building didn't even open until 2009. Most of the tenants have only lived there 3-4 years, all paying market rent for the area and the complex, all getting steady rent increases throughout their tenancy. Market rent has increased dramatically in the last year, and our growing lack of supply (hi AirBnB!) and that's pushing all folks out to the margins where the formally pushed out have been safely hiding out, bracing for the next wave of gentrification. Which just crested. No one would have paid $1200 to live there even last year, and with three vacant units (two have been vacant for MONTHS) doesn't look like any one is angling to pay it now. How much would you pay to watch for new hypodermic needles on your way out the door every morning?

Greed is evil.

Rationalize it however you like, newcomers. But this is as unethical as it is sickening. Greed has already ruined Portland, which until a few years ago was the only American city that valued people more than profits and decency over materialism.

In short, fuck this this landlord. He and his ilk (and enablers like Econoline) are among the worst people on earth.

The real question is: Is the landlord breaking the law?

Answer: No.

Trust me, I hate how Portland has changed and housing prices have gone through the roof, but I also don't agree with this whole "public shaming" aspect of our society nowadays.

The city doesn't care about rent increases... all they do is twiddle their thumbs while nothing gets done. When a property increases in value, the government gets more money in property taxes, so why in the hell would they try to stop it? That's right: they wouldn't.

Unfortunately, the landlord is doing what is well within their right to do. If there are no laws prohibiting such rent increases, then nothing can be done. Don't like it? Change the laws.

Tough shit. Wake up to the news: Portland is no longer the cheap city where unambitious slackers can retire in place. Time to move. Astoria calls.

Tough shit. Wake up to the news: It's a fascist country now. Shut up and move if you don't like it, slacker.

- Italian from the 1930s.

@Douglas_Banter: Increases in property tax assessments are capped at 3% per year in Oregon. According to Zillow, Portland home values rose 20% last year. Somebody's getting rich, but it's not the City's general fund.

@Euphonius: I concede to your counterpoint; I stand corrected.

So now this guys a total jerk for trying to maintain his investment AND have it return a profit? I'm pretty sure he bought this as an investment property. And I'm certain it needs various updates and repairs. It's reported that he's pricing the units at a comparable rent for the surrounding area. What's the beef? If you can't afford the new rent....move to a place that is within your budget! No one is forcing you to stay there! This talk of how "no one DESERVES to be bankrupted to live in their home" is the most absurd talk I've ever heard! What's with this sense of entitlement that people have these days? Give me a huge break!!!

Congratulations Citizen X. You've joined the ranks of the morally bankrupt. Weeeeeee!