SHERWOOD, Ore. (KOIN) — Jessica Israel and her family moved to Sherwood to escape the expensive rents of Portland and its suburbs. But their leasing renewal showed a rent hike of 32% and now they don’t know where to go.
She and her family moved into a 3-bedroom location in April 2022 for a monthly rent of $1750.
“We needed happy, healthy, peaceful area,” she said. Sherwood was “the perfect area. Nothing exciting going on but we didn’t need exciting.”
The rent was affordable, at least at first. When the lease renewal letter arrived, the new rent was $2310 — a $560-per-month increase. That’s about $7000 a year.
Israel told KOIN 6 News it’s an impossible increase for them to handle.
“Who can do that? I mean, I thought it was so unreasonable and it made it clear this is pushing people out,” Israel said. “You can’t reasonably expect someone to afford that.”
Her husband permanently injured his back, she was recently diagnosed with cancer and they have a young son. They don’t know where to go, she said.
“My heart just sank, you know? It’s like I was shaking. I wanted to cry. My stomach was upset for days. I couldn’t sleep,” Israel said. “I was getting a few hours of sleep every night and I have my baby. I have to be available. I was just really running on empty because I’m thinking, ‘What are we going to do? We can’t afford that.'”
The apartment complex and its management company, Cushman and Wakefield, declined to comment on the matter to KOIN 6 News. The staff on-site told KOIN 6 News the complex is priced significantly below market rent.
The average rent in Sherwood has increased drastically over the last 5 years, from about $2000/month for a 3-bedroom to nearly $2400 now.
But Sherwood is getting more expensive quickly and Jessica Israel wonders what market rent matters when it’s pushing people out of their homes.
“Market rate for who?” Israel said. “I’ve got farms right down the road from me. How much further out can I go? I’m not living in a big city.”
Compared to Portland, Beaverton and Tualatin (where her family used to live), Sherwood has caught up with the rest of Oregon.
“Who can do that? I mean, I thought it was so unreasonable and it made it clear this is pushing people out,” Israel said. “You can’t reasonably expect someone to afford that.”
Oregon does have a rent control law but this Sherwood complex is new enough to be exempted. However, the rent hike cap is 14.6%.
She also tried to apply for Washington County’s rent assistance. But that required her to have an eviction notice and she does not want that on her record.