One of Portland's Few Black-Owned Music Venues is Facing Eviction

"The Heights lounge and event space was founded in 2024 by local musician Jermaine Malone. Since then, it's operated out of a 3,800-square-foot space on SE Foster Road. The lounge features a rotating calendar of events from comedy nights, to dance parties, to "secret" punk shows. It also offers event space rentals and was expanding to include a studio space for music recording and mixing."

"The initial default came in June and was eventually settled with a rent concession agreement that lowered the monthly rent by about $2,700, according to McLeod. The more recent defaults came in November and December. McLeod says she provided a total of five emails to Malone in November and again in December when the rent wasn't paid, and said Malone responded to the most recent email "right away" acknowledging the business was behind on rent."

"After the first missed rent payment, Malone, a first-time business owner, met with Phil Morman, the director of leasing at Constant Commercial Real Estate. The two discussed Malone's lease and a pre-existing promissory note he set up with McLeod. After seeing what Malone was paying in rent, taxes, and monthly fees-about $9,600 per month-Morman offered to work with Malone pro bono. They got the rent reduced to an amount Malone could more easily afford."

Jermaine Malone founded The Heights lounge and event space in 2024 and operates from a 3,800-square-foot space on SE Foster Road. The venue hosts comedy nights, dance parties, secret punk shows, event rentals, and planned a recording and mixing studio. The Heights defaulted on rent three times this year amid claims of predatory rent and an impending eviction by the landlord. Property records identify owner Sandra McLeod, a real estate broker. An initial June default was settled with a rent concession lowering monthly rent by about $2,700. Later missed payments occurred in November and December. Leasing director Phil Morman negotiated a rent reduction and offered pro bono assistance.

Read at Portland Mercury