PORTLAND, Ore. — Predatory towing practices is impacting tenants at several Cully neighborhood properties owned by Hacienda CDC, according to a report released by the Portland Ombudsman's Office Wednesday morning.
In the report, tenants told Portland officials that they have seen an uptick in towing. From June 13, 2023 to late December 2023, the Ombudsman's Office reported 178 vehicles were towed in the area. The towing caused significant financial damage to a vulnerable, largely Latino population, the report said.
“We found that this apartment complex had more tows than any other in the city during a six-month period," said Tony Green, Portland's Deputy Ombudsman. "We also found that many of the tows were occurring in the middle of the night, which is likely in violation of state law.”
The targeted apartment complexes are low-income apartments. Two of the complexes received more than $16 million in construction loans from the city of Portland.
Clients at the nearby Multnomah County Community Center, which caters to immigrants and refugees, have also seen increases in tows. The Ombudsman's Office wrote that the "harm of towing runs counter to the City's affordable housing policies and its equity goals."
Some of the tows were by a company called Retriever Towing, which was sued by the Oregon Department of Justice last year for violating towing laws.
There's confusion over parking rules in the area as well. The signs are only in English, though many tenants and client's primary language is Spanish.
“It’s a problem that I think Portland needs to deal with,” Green said.
The investigation found one tow costs nearly half a month's rent at a studio apartment at Las Adelitas, one of the apartment complexes impacted. The average rent payment for a studio apartment is $559.
For towed vehicles, owners are charged a storage fee for each day the vehicle is held in a tow yard. Those fees can add up quickly, the Ombudsman's Office said. If a resident can't afford to pay the fee, their vehicle is auctioned off.
Without a car, the Ombudsman's Office said people are at higher risk of losing their jobs and facing eviction.
The Ombudsman's Office now recommends the housing bureau work with the apartment complex to implement safeguards, like warning residents on first offenses to prevent predatory ticketing. They also recommend the apartment complex company, Hacienda, expand outreach to residents about parking rules.
