Housing advocates, tenants decry rent hikes in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton tenants and advocates gathered outside the Municipal Building Wednesday with signs and megaphones, calling for city councilors to support their opposition to out-of-state property owners increasing rents.

“What do we want … houses. When do we want them … now,” were the call and response shouted by the crowd of approximately 70 people.

The goal of the rally was to seek assistance from the City Council to support the tenants and work to create an ordinance to restrict rent increases. The rally was organized by two tenant associations of multi-unit properties in Easthampton: one at 17 Adams St. and the other at Pleasant View Apartments at 22 Nashawannuck St. The groups partnered with Springfield No One Leaves, a grassroots organization whose goal is to help provide resources and organize residents who are, “most directly impacted by the housing crisis and economic inequality.”

After the rally, people gathered on the second floor of the Municipal Building on Payson Avenue where more than 10 speakers — tenants and activists — told their stories and voiced support of affordable housing. Out-of-state housing companies were the main target of discontent from the speakers who are unhappy with, as one put it, the “big corporate real estate investors.”

“They are displacing a mix of disabled, elderly, single renters and families who have called this place home for years,” said Nancy Dorian, a tenant at Pleasant View. “It was clear from the beginning that their main objective was profit over people. They come from out of state and have properties all over the country.”

Dorian left a corporate job 25 years ago to pursue a career exploring her passion for art. In November, Dorian came home to a paper on her door informing her of a 35% rent increase of $400, raising her rent from $1,150 to $1,550. Rowin Capital LLC of New York currently owns the property at Pleasant View, with two-bedroom units currently listed at $2,295. Dorian was given 12 business days to sign the lease or a “notice to quit” would be issued.

One of the owners of Pleasant View, Joseph Scherban, informed the Gazette in March that a letter went out stating that tenants who signed a lease at the new rate of $1,550 will receive a $100 rent reduction for the duration of the current lease term.

“Now, my rent is 42 percent of my income,” said Dorian. “How am I going to keep up with future rent increases? With very little in the way of retirement, I’m sure I’ll be working for the rest of my life.”

“I was shocked,” said Jackie Schnare, a Pleasant View resident of two years, about the rent increases. “Nothing like that had ever happened before. I felt betrayed and like I lost trust in people.”

Dorian called on the City Council to take a more active role in passing rent control legislation in the commonwealth, show up at rallies and organized events and work to pass a citywide ordinance to maintain rent increases. In March, the council adopted a resolution in favor of An Act Enabling Cities and Towns to Stabilize Rents and Protect Tenants (HD.2501/SD.1084), currently sitting on Beacon Hill. The bill would allow municipalities to adopt local ordinance that would impose a limit on the size of annual rent increases and require that evictions be based on defined just cause reasons for certain dwelling units within the municipality. An ordinance can only be created if the bill passes.

“The hope is to continue to do rallies around the (Pioneer) Valley calling for rent control, regulations and restrictions around corporate homeownership,” said Katie Talbot, the organizing director at Springfield No One Leaves, in an interview.

In April, the property at 17 Adams St. was purchased by Hurricane Properties LLC of South Carolina, according to tenant Amy Mares. In May, Mares and other tenants received letters stating that starting July 1, their rent would be increased from $1,415 to $1,850. Rent increases in the property ranged from 30% to 50%, according to Mares.

Joel Feldman, an attorney for Heisler, Feldman, & Ordorica of Springfield, who has worked closely with the Adams Street and Pleasant View tenants’ associations, spoke at the meeting providing resources and information. The firm serves low- and moderate-income clients in cases involving tenants’ rights, employee rights, employment and housing discrimination, wage and hour rights and consumer protection cases.

“We’re going to be there fighting for everybody … But that’s not the solution, the solution is this. The solution is everybody here joining together,” Feldman said about the rally.

In Massachusetts, there is no limit on the amount rental property owners can charge tenants and in cases of tenant eviction, 91% of property owners and only 4% of tenants have access to a lawyer, according to Feldman. He emphasized the importance of tenant associations and local legislators working together to push state legislation in the fight for rent control.

“The amount of anxiety and stress that being in this situation causes is destabilizing and I am grateful everyday that I am in a tenants association so I don’t feel alone in this fight,” Mares said.

Springfield No One Leaves will be traveling to Boston on July 29 to rally and speak at a Joint Committee on the Judiciary hearing at 1 p.m., showing support of the proposed rent control bill.

Sam Ferland can be reached at sferland@gazettenet.com.