Family Landlords Raise the Rent to Force One Sister Out
It was a small studio apartment, four hundred and fifty square feet, located in a quiet brick building three blocks from the library. The monthly rent was nine hundred and fifty dollars.
According to the details, the unit had original hardwood floors, a small gas stove, and a view of the mature Douglas firs in the courtyard. The deposit was nine hundred dollars, with an application fee of forty-five.
I opened my banking app on my phone to check my balance. After two years of careful budgeting, I had four thousand two hundred and eighty dollars in my emergency fund.
The move would cost me my extra space, my separate home office, and the familiar quiet of my current neighborhood. But it would also mean I would no longer be paying my sister’s way.
I clicked the button that said Apply Now.
I moved from the bed to the small wooden desk in the corner, plugging my laptop into the charger. The wind outside pressed against the glass, bringing a few scattered drops that tapped against the pane.
