Contact Us

PTU is an all volunteer tenant union dedicated to building power and solidarity among the tenant class. You can read about our mission here. We have limited capacity to work with tenants one on one to work through housing issues.

Below are some common resources and places you can go for support:

  • Eviction: If you are being evicted or threatened with eviction You can call or email the Oregon Law Center at (888) 585-9638 and [email protected], fill out this webform, or you can call or text The Commons Law Center at 503-850-0811
  • Rental Assistance: If you need help with rental assistance, please call 211
  • Inspections: If you have a habitability or ongoing maintenance issue, you can contact the Portland Neighborhood Inspections Program: (503) 823-2633
  • Other questions: If you have a question about tenants rights or have another issue you are working through, please contact the City of Portland Rental Services Office [email protected] or call 503-823-1303 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 4 p.m.
  • Other Resources: You can find other tenant info and resources like tenant friendly lawyers and mediation on this page

 

Reporters: Please email [email protected]

If you want to organize your building and form a tenant association, please email [email protected]

For general questions about PTU email [email protected]

To volunteer email [email protected]

To join visit https://www.pdxtu.org/join_the_union

 

If you’ve exhausted other resources and need support, please contact us to explain what’s happening:

PTU cannot give legal advice and we do not have money to help people pay rent

Email: [email protected]

Send us a private message on Facebook or Twitter

If you have an urgent need you can text us at (503) 461-0369

 

Other Resources:

Topics:

 

Eviction specific

URGENT HELP:
If you need urgent support for an eviction or illegal lock out, text PTU at (503) 461-0369, or email us at [email protected]

Get legal support for your eviction

  • You can call or email the Oregon Law Center at (888) 585-9638 and [email protected], fill out this webform, or you can call or text The Commons Law Center at 503-850-0811 to get free legal help if you are being threaten with an eviction or received a termination notice or court summons.
  • Make sure to attend your court hearing! If you would like to attend virtually, you can find your video link, or you can join by phone: 503-388-9555; Access Code: 146 407 9791

The eviction moratorium has expired

OregonLawHelp.org has a page dedicated to housing protection during COVID-19.

Tenant Rights Information

For general questions, contact the City of Portland Rental Services Office: [email protected] or call 503-823-1303 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 4 p.m.

 

Free or Low-Cost Legal Help

Eviction Expungement is available for free through the PCC CLEAR Clinic on Fridays 12-4pm

 

Mediation

Sometime people don't want to pursue legal channels, or are for whatever reason unable to. In those cases, mediation might be an effective tool to resolve a conflict with a landlord. Resolutions NW has a program to support tenants with mediation. 

  • Mediation: Sometimes folks need a third party to help facilitate a difficult conversation. Mediators are not a judge or lawyer and have no ability to determine the outcome. Mediators are "co-partial" meaning they want the best for all parties involved and will work to create a space where hard conversations can take place. Our role is to make sure everyone feels heard and that each party understands where the other is coming from. There may be an opportunity for parties to come to a common agreement. If that is the case, mediators can help work out the details of that agreement. 
*Disclaimer: Mediators are not advocates. We will not talk to the other party to convince them of your position. We can, however, talk to the other party in an attempt to "bring them to the table" to have a conversation all together. In order to take on a mediation, all parties must agree to go into the conversation willing to have a dialogue. Mediation is a voluntary process, meaning all parties are choosing to be there.
Resolutions NW has a landlord tenant mediation pilot program funded by the City. To see if you can get mediation through their program you can email [email protected] or call (503) 595-4890. You can read more about their program here.

Getting Repairs made

Oregon Law help help has a great Renter's Handbook on Repairs that answers a lot of questions as well as fillable templates for letters you can send your landlord.

Here are some key points

  • In order to have legal protections for repairs you must tell your landlord IN WRITING. This means either sending first class mail or hand delivering the notice.
  • If you tell your landlord about something needing repair, they can enter your home without notice for one week without notice.
  • Withholding rent because of repairs is a really risky thing, make sure you consider all options before moving forward. Look through the handbook and consider talking to a lawyer
  • If a landlord continues to refuse making repairs that lead to habitability issues, you can contact the city or county inspectors, listed below.

City and County Inspectors - They can force your landlord to make repairs

 

Housing and Rent Assistance

 

Other Local Tenant Unions 

PTU operates throughout the Portland Metro area.  Check out some of these groups operating on different scales:

 

Organizing Resources

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