University Tenants Union seeks to end ‘borrowed light’ loophole of windowless housing

Sitting Down with Portland's Tenant Union - Pine & Roses

T. Sinclair sat down with Bradley Davis, steering member of the Portland Tenants’ Union, which has recently helped win a case where it was ruled $34,000 in illegal rent violations must be paid back to tenants. TS: Thanks for making time for us today. To start, there’s been some confusion in the local media as to how the Portland Tenants Union (PTU) was established. Some people have said it comes from former Mayor Ethan Strimling’s efforts with t…

University Tenants Union seeks to end ‘borrowed light’ loophole of windowless housing

In 2023, a student-led letter signed by more than 800 people led the Austin City Council to pass a resolution that banned developers from continuing to build windowless housing in Austin. Now, the University Tenants Union is continuing to push for natural lighting in bedrooms by advocating against a “borrowed light” loophole. The city passed an ordinance on April 18, 2024, updating its local amendments in the International Building Code to requi…