Oregon, the state of excess

I had a young couple with a new baby renting from me on a HUD (government assisted rent) contract. They claimed that the man threw a rubber dog chew toy on the floor. It bounced and put a small crack in a window. A visiting home health nurse noticed the crack and questioned the mother. The nurse told her, “You leave your husband today, or we take your baby!” The husband was charged with domestic violence (not domestic abuse as he did not abuse her). He was forced to attend anger management classes and a restraining order was put on him. He could not see his wife or his child without court supervision for a year.

Now here’s where it gets even more interesting: the father called to tell me this story to break his lease. Since he was not allowed to visit, he no longer qualified as “head of household” on the HUD contract. His wife could not take over the lease without going through HUD’s long wait list. He was crying when he told his story, yet I found it hard to believe. Oregon Children’s Service Division called to tell me I could not hold the breaking of the lease against her in a domestic violence situation. He verified the man threw a dog toy down and acted like I did not take domestic violence seriously. This means that I, the property owner, must absorb the losses from a broken lease that the government refuses to call broken. I’ll know better next time.