PORTLAND, Maine — A Cumberland County District Court judge has ruled that former Portland mayor Ethan Strimling's landlord can evict him, according to court documents dated April 20.
Strimling and his attorneys have been attempting to defend an eviction lawsuit brought by his landlord, Geoff Rice. Strimling helped form the Trelawny Tenants Union in his Congress Street building. Union co-founder Wes Pelletier claimed the union is at least 100-members strong.
Strimling, who was mayor from 2015 to 2019, was served eviction papers in August. He said it was retaliation for unionizing.
"I'm almost positive it's because of my leadership within the Trelawny Tenants Union," he testified April 12 when his lawyer, Scott Dolan, asked why he thought he was targeted.
Wednesday's decision from Judge Susan Oram grants Rice possession of Strimling’s apartment.
Oram said Rice "has met the burden of overcoming the presumption of retaliation as the basis for this eviction action."
"We are disappointed by the decision and respectfully disagree with the conclusion that the court reached," Dolan told NEWS CENTER Maine in an email Thursday. "We are especially disappointed considering the considerable evidence that this eviction was brought in retaliation against Mr. Strimling for his involvement and leadership in the Trelawny Tenants Union."
Dolan confirmed in the email that he and Strimling plan to file an appeal for a new trial by jury.
"If this ruling is allowed to stand, landlords will now be free to retaliate against the tenant with impunity so long as the landlord has even the flimsiest excuse for doing so," Dolan continued.
In February, the newly formed Portland Rent Board ruled in favor of complaints from the union, saying Rice could no longer charge tenants for a share of taxes on his penthouse or businesses on the building's first floor.
It also assessed Rice a $15,000 fine for violating a rent control ordinance that Strimling himself had fought for, being a longtime tenant advocate before, during, and after his term in office.
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