Governor Kate Brown today urged Oregonians seeking help to pay current and future rent and utility payments to apply immediately for rental assistance through OregonRentalAssistance.org.

Governor Brown noted that historic amounts of rental assistance are now available in Oregon, and urged Oregonians to apply as soon as possible:

“Housing is a basic human need, which is why I have continued to work with the Legislature and our congressional delegation to devote state and federal resources to ensure that Oregonians who have been hardest hit by the rent impacts of the pandemic have a warm, dry, safe place to live.

Qualified Oregonians can apply for rental assistance through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) to help pay back current and future rent. Of note, Oregonians may still qualify to receive assistance even though Oregon’s residential eviction moratorium expired on June 30.

On May 19, 2021, Governor Brown signed SB 282 into law, a bill that extended the repayment period for residential rent accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill gives renters until February 28, 2022 to repay all rent accrued between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

On June 25, 2021, Governor Brown also signed SB 282, which provides a 60-day safe-harbor period from eviction for nonpayment of rent to tenants who provide their landlords with proof that they have applied for rental assistance. In Multnomah County, the safe harbor period is 90-days. Don’t wait to seek help. OERAP is accepting applications now. Those who have begun an application should submit it right away. The program is offered to all eligible renters regardless of immigration status.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2021-07-16 20:38:03