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Protesting Westlake Tenants Tell Us Why Rent Strikes Are Making A Comeback
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Striking tenants in Westlake march through their neighborhood in late July (Matt Tinoco/SCPR)
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About 100 years ago, in cities with an affordable housing shortage, tenants went on strike—withholding rent from their landlord to protest poor conditions. As the cost of housing spirals up, rent strikes are making a comeback.
KPCC’s housing reporter Matt Tinoco reports from Westlake, where tenants living in about 80 units across three apartment complexes on Burlington Avenue have been witholding rent from their landlord since April. They're protesting their landlord's decision to raise rent earlier this year, despite their building's poor condition.
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