Oregon

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

No information at this time.

In Portland, a motel owner kicked out clients of a homeless service provider because he didn’t want people experiencing homelessness in his motel.

As of May 31, the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program has paid out $363 million in emergency assistance to over 55,650 households. The program is ahead of schedule to meet the deadlines established by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is on track to obligate by the end of June the $100 million allocated by the Oregon Legislature during the December 2021 Special Session.

According to Oregon Live, data from the Oregon Law Center show that eviction filings in Oregon continue to increase steadily, creeping closer to pre-pandemic monthly averages. Between 50% and 60% of evictions for each of the past four months have been due to nonpayment of rent, and about half of the nonpayment cases the Oregon Law Center handles end in renters being evicted. At the same time, about 15,200 applications for emergency rental assistance are still being processed. 

Updated on June 14, 2022

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has received $16 million in federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) funds and is processing payment applications submitted through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP), which stopped accepting applications on March 21, 2022. As of May 6, the agency has paid out $340.3 million in ERA to 51,780 households.

Updated on May 16, 2022

Portland State University researchers released a report, “Oregon’s Safe Harbor for Tenants: Rocky Shoals in Eviction Diversion,” evaluating Oregon’s eviction diversion program implemented in July 2021. In the first 90 days of the policy, the authors found mixed results for tenants. The authors suggest that the policy could be improved by understanding how information, communication, and power affect each stage of eviction proceedings.

Updated on January 30, 2022

The Oregon State Legislature approved on December 13 an additional $100 million in state funding to the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The legislature also passed legislation (SB 891) to ensure tenants who apply for rental assistance before June 30, 2022, cannot be evicted until their application is processed.

Multnomah County requested $12 million in reallocated ERA1 funds, bringing Oregon’s ERA reallocation requests to $248 million.

Lane County officials have closed rental assistance applications to all new applicants except renters with the lowest incomes who are facing an eviction. Because the state has paused applications, only those with the greatest needs can apply and trigger the 90-day eviction grace period. Lane County voted on November 30 to extend the grace period from 60 to 90 days for renters who apply for rental assistance.

An estimated 8,355 Oregon households are at risk of eviction as protections keeping them housed expired after they waited for rental assistance for more than 60 days. More than 22,000 households are still waiting for their applications to be considered. 

Updated on December 20, 2021

Ahead of Oregon’s special legislative session on December 13 to address tenant protections, Oregon housing advocates have been urging lawmakers to take action to prevent evictions. Oregon State Representatives Kayse Jama and Julie Fahey have developed a plan to keep renters housed by extending the eviction safe harbor period and providing an additional $200 million in state funding for tenants and landlords.

Governor Kate Brown announced on November 30 the Oregon Legislature will meet in an emergency session on December 13 to consider eviction protections for renters. According to Oregon Housing and Community Services, about 13,000 renters are at imminent risk of eviction because they are beyond the “safe harbor” period that covers people who applied for help but have not received it due to processing backlogs. Learn about Governor Brown’s proposed framework to prevent evictions here.

About 1,200 applicants of the more than 23,000 households approved for the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program have not received their funds yet due to a processing backlog. Tens of thousands of additional renters have completed their applications but are still awaiting final approval. Oregon is pausing the program for at least six weeks starting December 1 to work through the backlog.

Updated on December 13, 2021

Oregon Housing and Community Services announced on October 12 the state will pause accepting new applications for the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) for six weeks, starting on December 1. Oregon Housing and Community Services estimate nearly $289 million in federal emergency rental assistance allocated to Oregon has been requested, and the program will be fully subscribed. After December 1, the agency encourages rental to apply for other rent relief programs across the state to receive the 60-day safe harbor period (90 days in Multnomah County and unincorporated areas of Washington County). 

Updated on November 22, 2021

Lane County officials are considering extending an eviction pause for renters who have applied for assistance by 30 days because the state’s 60-day window does not provide enough time for renters to receive assistance. More than 10,000 people statewide have applied for aid but surpassed the 60-day window, and thousands of those individuals have been waiting more than 120 days. Multnomah and Washington counties have extended the grace period to 90 days, but the extension only applies in unincorporated areas of Washington County.

Updated on November 15, 2021

Multnomah County launched a public awareness campaign in late September to spread the word about available emergency rental assistance (ERA). The county has sent text messages to 380,000 residents, initiated social media ads, mailed postcards to every residential mailbox in the county, and run television, radio, and newspaper ads. The campaign has conducted targeted outreach to communities of color, including by translating ERA materials into multiple languages and running advertisements on culturally specific media.

An op-ed in the Oregonian urges Governor Kate Brown to call a special session of the legislature to extend protections for renters while their applications for rental assistance are processed. The authors highlight that addressing the looming eviction crisis is a matter of racial equity, given that evictions and displacement further exacerbate the systemic disparities that have long impacted people of color and the lowest-income people.

Updated on November 8, 2021

The Oregonian reports thousands of Oregon renters are in imminent danger of eviction because the state has taken too long to process their emergency rental assistance applications. Nearly 11,900 renters who applied to the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program have had their eviction protections time out as they continue to wait for the applications to be processed. Eviction filings have increased significantly since Oregon’s eviction moratorium expired. According to data compiled by the Oregon Law Center, there were nearly 1,300 eviction filings for nonpayment of rent across the state between July and September and 102 through the first 10 days of October

Local service providers in Marion and Polk counties say the number of households requesting rental assistance may soon eclipse available aid. As of October 8, the counties have received 5,938 applications for the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program, with the majority of applicants (85%) from Marion County. The dearth of Polk County applicants likely points to rural communities’ lack of internet access.

Updated on October 25, 2021

The State of Oregon will be hiring an outside company to process emergency rental assistance (ERA) applications for the next round of funding to avoid a backlog of applications. 

Updated on October 5, 2021

The Community Alliance of Tenants, a leading Oregon tenant group, is warning that the end of statewide eviction protections could lead to an eviction crisis if elected officials do not extend protections. Approximately 80% of the 35,000 households statewide that have completed applications for rental assistance have not yet been approved. A household’s protection from evictions, however, ends 60 to 90 days after they submit documentation of an application. For many households, the deadline will be this month.
Updated on September 27

Governor Kate Brown announced Monday that she had extended Oregon’s residential foreclosure moratorium until December 31. 

Landlords in Multnomah County filed 109 eviction cases in July, a number that is likely to climb in the coming months. Each morning since July 30, county employees have been working to intercept renters who show up for eviction court at the county courthouse to help them apply for assistance. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

Oregon Housing and Community Services is offering a free training on Monday, July 26 at 1 pm PT/4 pm ET for advocates and volunteers interested in helping low-income Oregonians apply for new federal rental assistance benefits. Join the Zoom meeting here.
Updated on July 26, 2021

While Oregon is working to distribute $204 million in federal rental assistance through its new statewide program, the backlog of applications could have devastating consequences for tenants. Since applications opened May 19, more than 15,000 households have requested nearly $90 million in aid through the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Only about $700,000 had been distributed to 113 households as of July 7. 

Multnomah County renters are now protected from eviction for 90 days if they provide proof to their landlord that they have applied for rental assistance. The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on July 8 unanimously approved an ordinance extending the eviction protection period granted by Oregon Senate Bill 278. 
Updated on July 22, 2021

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, a new Portland State University report estimates Oregon may need to spend $4.7 billion in the coming years to address the downstream consequences of tens of thousands of pandemic-related evictions.
Updated on July 15, 2021

Oregon lawmakers passed Senate Bill 278, a bill to protect tenants from eviction for an additional 60 days, as long as they show they have applied for rental assistance. Lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year that gives tenants until 2022 to pay back rent; however, forward rent must be paid on time by July 1, 2021. More than 10,000 people have applied for the latest round of rent assistance, and about 70% of applicants need assistance with their July rent.

As the eviction moratorium nears its expiration, Central Oregon lawyers are seeing a high demand for help from both tenants and landlords.
Updated on June 28, 2021

With Oregon’s eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of June, state Representative Pam Marsh is spreading awareness about two emergency rental assistance programs to help struggling tenants and landlords: the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the Landlord Compensation Fund. 
Updated on June 14, 2021

Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed a measure into law on May 19 that gives tenants facing financial struggles during the pandemic until February 28, 2022 to pay back rent. The Associated Press reports that Senate Bill 282 also protects tenants from the long-term consequences of not making payments on time by prohibiting reporting to consumer credit agencies and removing back rents from consideration when submitting future rental applications. The law prohibits landlords from denying applicants based on COVID-era evictions and allows these evictions to be kept secret.
The Salem Statesman Journal compiled information on eviction protections and resources for struggling renters and homeowners.
Updated on June 4, 2021

The Oregonian reports that as of April 15, Multnomah County had allocated less than 12% of the $8 million in federal rental assistance funds it had received. The county and other local agencies say they are moving deliberately to ensure the funds reach the households most in need. Alison McIntosh, a spokesperson for the Oregon Housing Alliance, says she believes it is more important that agencies focus on getting rental assistance to the households most at risk of eviction, even if that takes additional time.

Updated on May 3, 2021

Oregon tenants collectively owe between $249 million and $378 million in unpaid rent as of January 2021. According to a study by Portland State University’s Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative, Oregon might be forced to spend between $1 billion and $3.3 billion to respond to mass evictions when the moratorium lifts.

Updated on February 17, 2021

Home Forward, Oregon’s largest provider of affordable housing, has earned a reputation as being tolerant with the low-income tenants it serves in the properties it manages directly. Income Property Management, the company with which Home Forward contracts for much of its housing stock, has filed to evict nearly three times as many households from Home Forward-owned properties than has Home Forward itself.

The Bend City Council voted to enter a purchase and sale agreement with the intention of transforming the Old Mill Inn & Suites Motel into a homeless shelter. Project Turnkey would provide the funds to purchase the hotel.

Updated on February 08, 2021

The Oregon Legislature in December extended the state’s eviction moratorium through June 30, but the eviction protections are no longer automatic for tenants. Renters must complete and submit a sworn declaration of financial hardship to their landlords to be protected from eviction. The Oregon Law Center posted a guide to the new moratorium rules.

Updated on January 25, 2021

The expiration of federal coronavirus relief funding prompted the closure of Washington County’s Sleep Safe RV program, which provided access to resources for people living in RVs during the pandemic. The program hosted more than 60 people while it was open.

With the federal eviction moratorium set to expire on December 31, homeless advocates are bracing for a tsunami of Oregon students becoming homeless in 2021.

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to extend the eviction moratorium to July 2, 2021, and provide a six-month grace period for repaying back rent. The board also voted to allocate an additional $2.5 million to the Joint Office of Homeless Services to purchase two shelter sites. Combining the new funds with previously allocated CARES Act funds, the Joint Office will purchase two properties for a combined $6.8 million to convert into shelters.

Clackamas County has begun the process of purchasing a motel and converting it into a shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Elected board members, however, disagree over the plans, with one commissioner expressing confusion about whether the property, acquired under Project Turnkey, would provide shelter for wildfire survivors or other people experiencing homelessness.

Oregon tenant advocates are reporting an uptick in tenant harassment as landlords, unable to evict tenants due to the eviction moratorium, are pressuring renters to self-evict. A recent report from the Community Alliance of Tenants and Portland State University found that of the 460 renters surveyed, 22% reported “hostile, harassing, or threatening behavior from their landlords or property managers.” This rate rose to 32% for tenants who identified as BIPOC.

Updated on January 15, 2021

Oregon legislators allocated $35 million to convert hotels or motels into temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness. The application process opened on November 20.

Updated on December 9, 2020

Oregon lawmakers unveiled a proposal on November 20 that would protect qualifying tenants from eviction for nonpayment of rent until June 30, 2021. The proposal would extend the state’s current moratorium, now scheduled to expire on December 31, and offer partial repayment to landlords. Under the new moratorium, renters would be required to submit a sworn statement declaring that they have experienced financial hardship and would owe back rent on July 1, 2021.

With no federal relief in sight, the authors of an op-ed in Oregon Live urge state legislators to take immediate action to prevent a wave of mass displacement and homelessness this winter. The authors also call attention to the dual impact of COVID-19 and wildfire displacement on low-income residents in Southern Oregon.

Project Turnkey, an Oregon initiative to purchase hotels and motels to convert into transitional and permanent housing, is moving forward in Jackson County. While the program is state-funded, the goal is for local communities to develop initiatives that address their unique needs.

Updated on November 30, 2020

Oregon legislators on November 9 committed $35 million to the purchasing and converting hotels into emergency homeless shelters, two weeks after the same proposal failed. These funds are not intended for use in areas impacted by the wildfire; the Emergency Board approved $30 million to those communities for this purpose on October 23.

The Register-Guard reports that unhoused individuals in Lane County have few places to go amid the upcoming winter and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The article examines how the pandemic has impacted shelter operations and efforts to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic and devastating wildfires.

Updated on November 17, 2020

The Salem Statesman Journal reports Salem officials and advocates are considering additional housing options for the more than 1,500 people experiencing homelessness in the city as COVID-19 cases spike and winter looms. 

The Corvallis Gazette-Times discusses local homeless service providers’ efforts to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness amid the ongoing pandemic and looming winter. 

Updated on November 10, 2020

The Oregon Housing and Community Services Department estimates the state could have a shortage of 10,000 shelter beds, compared to the estimated shortage of 5,814 shelter beds identified in the 2019 Oregon Shelter Study. 

The first round of application for the Portland COVID-19 Household Assistance Program closed on October 27, but residents can apply for the one-time payments during the second application window on Friday, October 30, at 1pm. 

Updated on November 4, 2020

Four months after the Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board allocated $60 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars to provide rental assistance, the majority of funds have not been distributed. According to a report from Oregon Housing and Community Services, approximately 38% of the funds had been distributed to 7,431 households by October 2, while another 11% has been committed to specific households but not yet paid.

Despite the pandemic and wildfires, homelessness remains the most concerning issue for Portlanders and much of the region. According to a new poll, many surveyed voters in the region also say their communities are headed in the wrong direction in addressing homelessness.

KGW8 reports amid the COVID-19 pandemic and devastating wildfires, Salem’s homelessness crisis is challenging, complex, and growing worse.

Updated on October 26, 2020

According to the Oregon COVID-19 Farmworker Study, a collaboration between 11 organizations and research institutions, Oregon’s agricultural laborers have faced heightened risks during the pandemic. Some continue to report insufficient access to personal protective equipment, a lack of social distancing at work sites, and inconsistent access to COVID-19 testing. The data were collected through surveys and interviews with more than 200 farmworkers across the state.

Governor Kate Brown extended Oregon’s eviction moratorium through December 31, 2020, in response to COVID-19 and wildfire emergencies.

Updated on October 5, 2020

Governor Kate Brown on August 31 extended the statewide foreclosure moratorium underlying the provisions of House Bill 4204 to December 31, 2020. 

Updated on September 15, 2020

Oregon’s $35 million emergency relief program ended on August 21 after tearing through the federal funds in less than three days. State legislators were shaken by the overwhelming display of need and have called for additional federal assistance. “The state of Oregon does not have those types of resources,” said House Speaker Tina Kotek. “We’re going to keep doing everything we can to step up, but at the end of the day, we need more money from the federal government.”

Updated on September 2, 2020.

More than 200,000 Oregonians had their unemployment benefits cut by at least half when the federal unemployment boost expired at the end of July, leaving tens of thousands of residents concerned about how they will pay their rent, utility payments, and weekly expenses. 

The Oregon Bankers Association filed a lawsuit to overturn a recent state law that protects homeowners from foreclosure and other penalties if they are unable to pay their mortgages during the pandemic.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici, joined more than 80 Oregonians in a virtual event on August 11 calling for the Senate to take action on a fourth coronavirus relief package.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

With a statewide eviction moratorium ending this fall, Jackson County has teamed up with United Way to distribute $500,000 to keep struggling households from tumbling off a rent cliff.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

Street Roots published an FAQ to help Oregon renters and homeowners understand the steps they can take to protect themselves from eviction and foreclosure.

Updated on August 4, 2020.

The Oregon Housing Alliance, an NLIHC state partner, released a statement on July 14, referencing the Out of Reach 2020 report and highlighting concerns that the cost of housing in Oregon continues to rise despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

Service providers in Multnomah County report that while they haven’t witnessed a spike in need yet, they predict that a rise in homelessness due to the pandemic and its economic fallout is on the horizon.

The Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4213 on June 26, which extends the state’s eviction moratorium for both residential and commercial properties until September 30. Under H.B. 4213, renters have until March 31, 2021 to pay their back-due rents. Governor Kate Brown expressed support for the bill.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

Housing and homeless advocates in Oregon are urging lawmakers and Governor Kate Brown to provide rental assistance to prevent a wave of evictions when the state’s eviction moratorium expires June 30.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

The Oregon Legislature approved $75 million of federal Coronavirus Relief Funds for rental assistance. The Housing and Community Services Department will use $55 million to provide rental assistance for tenants at or below 80% of area median income and $20 million to provide operating support to owners of affordable rental housing projects that have long-term affordability contracts with HCSD.

Oregon Public Broadcasting aired an interview with Andrea Bell, the director of housing stabilization with Oregon Housing and Community Services, and Tim Orr, the education and support hotline manager for Community Alliance of Tenants about how the $55 million in federal funds that were recently allocated for rental assistance will be distributed.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

According to the Oregonian, there is growing support among city officials and housing advocates for Portland to buy motels to use as short-term shelters initially and then as long-term affordable housing.

A Common Dreams article makes the case for why Portland should commandeer hotels to house people experiencing homelessness. Portland has secured two hotels for people experiencing homelessness who exhibit coronavirus symptoms, but only one of those hotels is currently being used, and it is only partially filled.

The Oregon Housing and Community Services announced over $8.5 million to provide rent relief across the state. The money was allocated to regional Community Action Agencies by a needs-based formula. 

Clastop County officials developed a plan to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness in a local hotel after Providence Seaside Hospital reached out to the county’s public health department. County officials are partnering with the hospital and other organizations to arrange rooms for people experiencing who test positive for the coronavirus or are awaiting test results. 

The Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board approved $12 million in housing assistance, with more than of half going to residents on the edge of homelessness. The state allocated $8.5 million to provide rental assistance for people who have lost their income due to the pandemic. Oregon also set aside $3.5 million for shelters and motel vouchers.

The Housing Authority of Jackson County will receive $375,002 in federal coronavirus aid to help keep residents stably housed. The funds are a portion of $5.7 million in grants allocated to housing authorities across Oregon.

 “The rent crisis in our county requires the kind of national response that only the federal government can and should provide,” said Chair of the Multnomah County Commission Deborah Kafoury. Kafoury expressed her support for including $100 billion in rent assistance in the next federal relief package.

Eleven people experiencing homelessness have tested positive for the coronavirus in the Portland area. The Oregon Health Authority has announced plans to expand testing for people experiencing homelessness. Lane County has calculated how many tests would be needed to evaluate everyone in their shelters; however, Multnomah County and Washington County have not announced plans to do the same.

The City of Ashland has employed reimbursement eligible from its Community Development Block Grant and FEMA to acquire hotel rooms for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. A local non-profit, Options for Helping Residents of Ashland, was awarded a $100,000 grant to fund the program.

A Street Roots editorial urges Oregon officials to not only move all unhoused Oregon residents into hotels and motels but also create a statewide roadmap for solving homelessness.

New temporary shelter sites for the unhoused are opening this week in Eugene. Small groups of people can stay in tents or vehicles with appropriate social distancing. All shelter sites are staffed and have food and water supplies.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said that the statewide “stay home” order applies to people without homes. It is unclear to what extent police will enforce the rule amongst the homeless population. Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s office said that it would “discourage” police departments from punishing homeless individuals for violating the order but did not prohibit it.

Lane County’s old VA clinic will become a COVID-19 respite and recovery center for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Portland

The Portland City Council unanimously approved the allocation of $8.35 million for rental assistance to residents impacted by the pandemic. The emergency rental assistance was approved as part of the Mayor’s budget, which reallocates $4.5 million in existing federal funds to rent assistance and an additional $3.85 million in Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

Portland city officials are considering entering into 12- to 18-month agreements with motels to house people experiencing homelessness, but they have expressed concerns about the high cost of this project. If the city uses its current model, the cost of housing people in motels would increase an estimated 500 percent.

The iconic Jupiter Hotel in Portland will be housing individuals experiencing homelessness that show COVID-19 symptoms.

Portland and Multnomah County’s joint shelter system is putting together a series of assistance measures to deal with the pandemic – and which will likely cost $3.5 million a month.

Eugene

The city of Eugene is considering locating a new homeless shelter in a facility that Lane County purchased for $1.8 million to house people experiencing homelessness who have tested positive or are suspected of having the coronavirus. The city council and county board of commissioners will meet within the next month to discuss the possibility of converting the River Avenue Alternative Care Center into a shelter.

Eugene is considering “microsites” as a new means to provide temporary shelter during the pandemic. The first microsite is underway at Skinner City Farm and is managed by Community Supported Shelters.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

No action--including charging late fees, providing notice, filing in court--can be taken by landlords in evictions for nonpayment through the expiration of the moratorium. The new legislation gives renters a 6 month grace period after the moratorium expires to repay their rent and prohibits reporting to consumer credit agencies. 

Updated: August 1

In the third week of July, 17.4% of adults in Oregon reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, over one hundred thousand renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment.

Updated: July 29

According to a weekly Census survey, 134, 741 renters in Oregon did not pay their June rent, with an additional 3,234 indicating they had deferred their June rent payment. 

Updated: July 16