It was disheartening to read about the extreme rent increases imposed on residents of Cascade Park Estates (“Cascade Park Estates tenants plead for help,” The Columbian, Oct. 25). Rents for residents in this senior mobile home park have increased by 70 percent since the new owners purchased the park in 2015. Further, a 17 percent increase has been announced to take effect Jan. 1.
Owners Michael Werner and Denise Torres are able to impose large rent increases because of our tight housing market. There are virtually no options for renters due to the severe shortage of affordable housing in Clark County.
Private actions by owners have the ripple effect of increasing homelessness. This is especially troubling as government, nonprofits, churches and others spend vast resources and volunteer hours assisting the homeless. One approach would be to limit rent increases to no more than the rate of inflation, property tax increases and a reasonable amount for upkeep and maintenance. A second approach could be to impose a penalty tax on landlords who raise their rents beyond a reasonable amount (say 6 percent). Those funds would go directly to programs dealing with the human wreckage of homelessness.
