In what some are taking as a sign that COVID-driven, government grip is being loosened, Oregon Housing and Community Services will close the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program Portal and stop accepting new applications after 11:59 p.m. March 14, 2022. The portal reopened on Jan. 26, 2022, for a limited time after the Oregon Legislature allocated $100 million to support renters facing eviction. The state had paused accepting new applications on Dec. 1, 2021, due to dwindling federal funds. Andrea Ball is the Executive Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services.

Upon review, applications will be approved for payment or denied. This decision will be made based upon the highest need, not on a first-come, first-served basis. If a tenant has an incomplete application in the portal, they have until March 21 to complete it. As a reminder, tenants who submit new applications can access protections from eviction for nonpayment of rent while their application is being reviewed and processed.

During this historic crisis, the agency served as a national leader in providing rental assistance to more than 40,500 households, which means an estimated 104,600 people have been able to stay safely and affordably housed during the pandemic. Only two other states have provided a higher percentage of assistance, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Oregon ranks third in the nation in the percentage of emergency rental assistance funds paid out and obligated. More than $289 million has been paid in the past nine months.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

If a tenant has an incomplete application in the portal, they have until March 21 to complete it. This extension applies for applications that are incomplete at the time of closure. New applications will not be accepted after March 14. If an application is started today, tenants have one week to complete it.

Applicants can continue to log on to the OERAP portal to complete their application or check the status of their finished application. They will be alerted by email as their application advances. Tenants at immediate risk of eviction should apply for rental assistance right away to access safe harbor eviction protections and contact a legal organization.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-03-14 10:31:31

Last Update: 2022-03-14 10:34:49