Oregon Governor Kate Brown has ordered a stop to residential evictions in Oregon by placing a temporary moratorium effective for 90 days due to the public health emergency caused by the spread of coronavirus in Oregon, according to a release.
“Through no fault of their own, many Oregonians have lost jobs, closed businesses, and found themselves without a source of income to pay rent and other housing costs during this coronavirus outbreak,” Brown said in the release.
“The last thing we need to do during this crisis is turn out more Oregonians struggling to make ends meet from their homes and onto the streets.
“This is both a moral and a public health imperative. Keeping people in their homes is the right thing for Oregon families, and for preventing the further spread of COVID-19,” she said.
Under the governor’s emergency powers, the order places a temporary hold throughout Oregon on law-enforcement actions relating to residential evictions for not paying rent.
Recognizing that landlords and property owners face their own costs if tenants are not able to pay rent, the governor and her Coronavirus Economic Advisory Council are engaging lenders to find potential solutions and are exploring various state and federal policy options that might be available to provide assistance to borrowers or other options for relief.
Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Department of Consumer and Business Services are also pursuing relief options at the direction of the governor.
Portland and Multnomah County Residential Evictions
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury have signed emergency orders suspending evictions for tenants who cannot pay rent due to coronavirus-related challenges.
Residential tenants cannot be evicted for not paying rent during the entire time the county and city are under a state of emergency, the two officials announced in a press conference.
Both moratoriums on suspending evictions say that rent owed to a landlord will continue to accrue during the state of emergency. There will be a six-month repayment grace period, which will begin as soon as the state of emergency ends.
Seattle Mayor Signs Emergency Order Placing Moratorium on Evictions
Portland, Multnomah County Sign Emergency Order Suspending Evictions