At the Community Alliance of Tenants, we know how hard it can be as a tenant to feel like you have no control over your own housing.  That’s why bringing tenants together through membership is so important- so that we can gain strength through numbers to start changing the unjust laws we face.  Aside from joining CAT, another thing you can do to work for long term change is to write to your state legislators and let them know about the barriers you’ve faced because of unfair laws, and ask them to change them. 

Here’s a few sample letters to legislators you can use to start telling your story, but make sure to personalize it with your own experiences.  You can copy the text and then click here to contact your state legislators.  Paste the text in the box that says “message” in the new window, and edit it to make it personal.

Sample letter about repairs
Sample letter about no-cause evictions
Sample letter about the lack of affordable housing

Sample letter to legislators about repairs
Dear (Senator or Representative) Name of Legislator,

I am a tenant in your district concerned with condition of my rental home, and the difficulty many tenants face in getting needed repairs made.  I’ve made written requests to my landlord several times regarding repair needs in my home.  (Describe your repair problems.)

Unfortunately, the landlord will not make the repairs, and I’ve found that Oregon Landlord/Tenant Law provides little recourse for tenants in my situation.  There is no enforcement of the State’s housing maintenance codes found in ORS 90.320, and there is little penalty for landlords who fail to meet their responsibilities.

This problem is made worse by the lack of affordable housing in our community.  Despite the problems I’m having, I’m unable to move because of the cost of moving and the lack of affordable places to move to.

As your constituent, I ask you to look at and challenge the injustice that tenants face and to respond to the huge shortage of affordable housing in our community.  The state must find ways to enforce it’s own housing maintenance codes for rental homes. The state must also do its part to address the affordable housing crisis, and support the efforts of local governments to create more affordable housing.

Please feel free to contact me at (your phone number or the above address) or the Community Alliance of Tenants to learn more about renters’ rights issues.
Sincerely,

(your name here)

Sample letter to legislators about no-cause evictions

Dear (Senator or Representative) Name of Legislator,

I am a tenant in your district concerned with the stability of my housing.  I recently received a notice that said I had to move out of my home.  The notice gave me no reason for forcing me to move, and it gave me only 30 days.  It is very difficult to get together the money to pay move-in costs, and to find a new place, in only one month. (Add more personal details here. It is important for us to share the impact no-cause evictions have on us and our families. Will you be able to find another affordable place in your neighborhood? Will your children be forced to switch schools?  Will you be forced to move far from your employment?  Will you be forced to forgo other things to pay for cost of moving into a new place?  Do you feel that you were evicted because you asked for repairs to be made by your landlord, or otherwise stood up for your rights, but you can’t afford a lawyer or don’t have proof of this illegal retaliation?  Are you concerned about finding new housing with an FED on your record?)

As your constituent, I ask you to look at and challenge the injustice that tenants face and to respond to the huge shortage of affordable housing in our community.  The state must find ways to protect renters from unfair evictions.  The state must also do its part to address the affordable housing crisis, and support the efforts of local governments to create more affordable housing.

Please feel free to contact me at (your phone number or the above address) or the Community Alliance of Tenants to learn more about renters’ rights issues.
Sincerely,
(your name here)

Sample letter to legislators about a lack of affordable housing
Dear (Senator or Representative) Name of Legislator,

I am a tenant in your district concerned with the lack of safe and affordable housing.  It is difficult for my family find stable, decent, affordable housing.  Because of the lack of affordable housing, we often have to pay much of our income for rent leaving little for other needs. 

(Add more personal details here.  It is important for us share the impact high rents have on ourselves and our families. Have you been forced to give up on other things because of high housing costs- health care, food, savings, money for education?  Have you been forced to move resulting in change of school for your kids? Have you put up with poor conditions/lack of repairs because you can’t afford to move? Etc.)

As your constituent, I ask you to look at and respond to the affordable housing crisis in our state.  The state must find ways that it can help address this crisis, and the state must support the efforts of local governments to create affordable housing.

Please contact me at (your phone number or the above address) to let me know what you are doing to address the affordable housing crisis in our community. 

Feel free to contact me or the Community Alliance of Tenants to learn more about renters’ rights and affordable housing issues.

Sincerely,
(Your name here)

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