A landlord’s attempt to evict a former Portland mayor who formed a tenants union amounted to retaliation, a jury concluded, allowing him to remain in his apartment against the landlord’s wishes.
The landlord’s lawyer contended efforts to evict Ethan Strimling began in 2021 because he was a difficult tenant, not because of his involvement with the tenants union that filed several complaints with the city.
In Maine, landlords can evict tenants without providing a reason. But it’s illegal to target someone for forming a tenants union, which is encouraged under a Portland rent control ordinance approved in November 2020 by residents of Maine’s largest city. It’s dealing with a housing crunch and rent that’s approaching $2,000 for a two-bedroom apartment.
Strimling — a Democratic state senator before serving as mayor from 2015-2019, and a regular participant in political discussions on TV — requested a trial after a judge rejected his retaliation argument. The jury reached its outcome Thursday.
The outcome is important, he said: “Hopefully it will tell tenants out there that you can join unions and be stronger for it.”
The jury’s 8-1 decision in the civil lawsuit means Strimling can keep his apartment at the downtown Trelawny Building. Geoffrey Rice, who owns the apartment building, declined to comment to reporters.
In pricey Portland, Maine, a jury says a former mayor who formed a tenants union can’t be evicted
