Columns

  Picture this: A gay couple visits your leasing office asking about available one-bedroom apartments. There are two such apartments available but your leasing agent shows the couple only one. She doesn’t mention the other apartment because she wants to keep the couple away from the resident in the neighboring apartment because she’s heard him…

    Question:  What happens to the home of a tenant living alone? What protections are in place?    

  The decision often hinges on what is and isn’t “reasonable.” Fair housing laws require landlords to make “reasonable accommodations” for rental prospects and residents who have disabilities. Disagreements over whether requested accommodations are reasonable are a perennial cause of discrimination complaints. And in many cases, it falls to HUD…

Question:  I have an issue regarding late payment of rent where I own both the home and the space.  The rent is constantly late. After I file for eviction the tenant either pays before the court hearing or at the hearing.  I am then stuck with the filing fees and service fees.  What are my options?  

Four additional questions and answers regarding Oregon's new rent control law. 1. Question:  I am using MHCO leases that I will renew in three years.  The leases provides for a rent increase each year of the lease of 4.5%.  Going forward, can I now increase rent 6% each year that is left of the lease or do I have to stick with the 4.5%?   2.…

  Good recordkeeping is essential to your success in fending off fair housing claims when dealing with residents who break the rules. If challenged, you’ll need proof that you had legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for taking action against the resident—that he in fact broke the rules—and that you’ve consistently applied the rules against…

  This article is informational only and is not intended as legal advice.  Always consult with a competent attorney before undertaking any legal action. Question: Our park has some manufactured homes and some RV spaces. We are having problems with some of our RV spaces and late payments.  Can we use the “3-strikes” rent nonpayment rule?  If not…

  Question: I'm in the middle of an eviction against a resident for nonpayment of rent and Legal Aid is claiming there is a statute saying I can only go back one year back for past-due rent. Is this correct?  

  Even with solid evidence that a resident has broken your rules, you run the risk of a retaliation claim any time you take action against a resident who has filed a fair housing complaint against you.