On any other Valentine’s Day, Bruce Charles would be taking
his partner, Patricia Bognar, out for dinner and a movie. But this
Valentine’s, the couple will be busy moving to a new
apartment—just 15 days after being simultaneously fired and
evicted by Norris & Stevens, the new management company for the
apartment building where they lived and worked.
To Charles and Bognar, the reality of the situation is crushing:
They had to scramble to find a new apartment on short notice, and are
now moving from the one-bedroom apartment they’ve called home for 15
years to a studio. They had to donate a lot of their possessions, and
Charles says he’s suffering from anxiety and lack of sleep.
The couple worked for Park Terrace Apartments on SW Park in
different capacities, as assistant managers or in maintenance, for
about nine years. In that time, they’d seen the apartment through the
death of the original owner and several property management companies.
They say they had never had any problems with the other companies until
Norris & Stevens took over in late 2006.
Other tenants complained about sudden and steep rent
increases—one tenant’s rent reportedly went up by $300 in one
month. Shaunae Petchel, who moved out late last year, wrote in a letter
shortly after she moved that Norris & Stevens’ new property manager
“has no respect for the tenants or consideration for their rights, and
will not hesitate to make grossly unfounded accusations,” including an
alleged accusation of vandalism against her husband, a bank
manager.
“I’m 55 years old, I’ve seen a lot of stuff,” says Charles. “But
this… this is over the top. This group is just ruthless.”
On Wednesday, January 30, Charles met with Scott Peterson, asset
manager for Norris & Stevens. By that time Charles had noticed
unease in the building thanks to the rent increases, and the eviction
of a maintenance man. “I felt the tension but I kept it under my
bonnet,” Charles says. “I wasn’t going to jump on a soap box.”
Then Peterson handed him a letter that informed him that he was
fired and evicted—and had to be out in two weeks. Charles says he
got upset, said “Fuck you!” and stood up to leave. According to
Charles, Peterson blocked the doorway and ordered him to sit down, and
there was some shoulder shoving between the two men. After the
incident, Peterson called the police. According to the police report,
there were no injuries, so no further action was taken. Peterson
refused to comment on the incident.
According to Oregon Revised Statute 91.120, “An employee… may only
be evicted… after at least 24 hours written notice of the termination
of employment or a notice period set forth in a written employment
contract, whichever is longer.” Norris & Stevens terminated Charles
and Bognar in the first paragraph of the letter and evicted them in the
second paragraph.
Norris & Stevens Vice President David Keys chalks this
discrepancy up to a difference of interpretation. “If I’m proven wrong,
I’ll change our operation policy, but I don’t believe we’re operating
improperly,” he said.
In response to tenants’ other allegations, Keys says, “What we’re
trying to do is make the property perform for the new ownership of the
building. The rents were severely and grossly under market and had been
for many years. If anything, the tenants had been receiving a
subsidized rent for years.”