I want to respond to the guest column by Dean Kaufman, which detailed at length his opinion of what rights tenants in Oregon should have access to.
He portrayed vermin-free housing as a cost burden, not a fundamental protection for safe housing. A roof leaking, mold exposure, rodents in buildings — these are serious health hazards, not optional amenities. Making habitability standards optional would deteriorate our local housing stock, encourage more displacement from tenants and seriously open up predatory practices behind closed doors. It seems clear Mr. Kaufman wants tenants to live with rats, supposedly for their benefit? I also wonder how neighboring landlords and homeowners would feel having their properties next to his rat-infested buildings?
Renters, especially those who are low-income, disabled or marginalized are already in weak bargaining positions when seeking affordable housing options. A “free market” would disastrously harm any marginalized individuals in our community, leaving fewer options to shop around or negotiate strong terms. Landlord-tenant law “opt-outs” would exclusively support landlords and provide significant cover for those who take advantage of others…