{"id":9580,"date":"2020-09-25T09:46:12","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T16:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/?p=9580"},"modified":"2022-03-01T05:59:34","modified_gmt":"2022-03-01T13:59:34","slug":"update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on Protections from Eviction in Oregon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-9597\" src=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/house-1407562_1280-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Home in Oregon front door with keys\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/house-1407562_1280-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/house-1407562_1280-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/house-1407562_1280-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/house-1407562_1280.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>The pandemic and resulting economic slowdown have put many people at risk of losing their housing.\u00a0 The Oregon\u00a0legislature has provided some protections for Oregonians who have been economically impacted.\u00a0 The federal government has also weighed in to provide protections.\u00a0 But many questions about eligibility and an uncertain future lies ahead.\u00a0 Without knowing how these legal protections\u00a0may affect you, it is hard to determine what, if anything, you should\u00a0be doing\u00a0to prepare for the future.\u00a0 Like most things in the legal field, the devil is in the details, but certain general principles are known.\u00a0 Our hope is to provide some insight\u00a0into those general principles so that you can determine whether you need additional information.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oregons_Eviction_Ban\"><\/span><b>Oregon&#8217;s Eviction Ban<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6629da49407e7\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6629da49407e7\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon\/#Oregons_Eviction_Ban\" title=\"Oregon&#8217;s Eviction Ban\">Oregon&#8217;s Eviction Ban<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon\/#Federal_Eviction_Ban\" title=\"Federal Eviction Ban\">Federal Eviction Ban<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon\/#Rental_Assistance\" title=\"Rental Assistance\">Rental Assistance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon\/#Rent_Relief\" title=\"Rent Relief\">Rent Relief<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/update-on-protections-from-eviction-in-oregon\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oregon&#8217;s House Bill 4213 was signed into law by the Governor on June\u00a030, 2020.\u00a0 It was effective immediately and, in combination with the Governor&#8217;s prior executive orders, retroactively.\u00a0 It is applicable throughout the State and provides protection to both residential and commercial tenants and there is no requirement that a tenant certify they have been financially impacted by the pandemic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The law protects tenants from eviction for nonpayment of rent between April 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020.\u00a0 In other words, if you fail to pay rent, utility charges or other fees\u00a0between April 1st and September 30th, a landlord cannot start the eviction process against you.\u00a0 In addition, the law prohibits a landlord from issuing a &#8220;termination without cause&#8221; notice &#8211; which is basically an eviction with no reason\u00a0given &#8211; even if you are in the first year of a lease that would normally expire between April 1st and September 30th (the lease is legally\u00a0extended\u00a0until October 30, 2020.)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Oregon eviction ban does NOT forgive your responsibility to pay the rent.\u00a0 Oregon&#8217;s law does give a tenant until March 31, 2021 to catch up on all the missed rent payments.\u00a0 However, to exercise this right you must notify your landlord that you intend to use the six-month grace period allowed by Oregon House Bill 4213.\u00a0 We urge such notice to be in writing and that tenants send that notice very early in October.\u00a0 If a tenant fails to provide this notice, then the landlord can charge a fee equal to 1\/2 of one-month&#8217;s rent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is unclear if the Governor has the authority to extend this eviction ban beyond September 30, 2020. A separate eviction\u00a0ban is being discussed\u00a0at the\u00a0County and City level in Multnomah County and Portland (as of 9\/21\/20).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Federal_Eviction_Ban\"><\/span><b>Federal Eviction Ban<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under rule making authority granted to the Department of Health and Human Services and its agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some residential (not commercial) evictions are halted from September 4, 2020 through December 31, 2020.\u00a0 If a State or local eviction ban provides greater protections, then the tenant enjoys the greater local protections.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To gain these protections, each tenant in a household must provide a sworn written declaration to the landlord or entity who has the authority to evict.\u00a0 We have provided a <strong><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Fed-Eviction-Declaration.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PDF on our website<\/a><\/strong> of the declaration that can be freely printed and used should you need it.\u00a0 The declaration requires a tenant to swear that:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The tenant has exercised best efforts to obtain government housing\u00a0assistance, AND<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The tenant did not have reportable taxable income in 2019 or received a stimulus check pursuant to the CARES Act or expects to earn $99,000 or less in 2020 ($198,000 or less if filing a joint return), AND<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The tenant is unable to pay the full rent due to loss of income or extraordinary\u00a0out-of-pocket medical bills, AND<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The tenant is making best efforts to pay partial rent payments, AND<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If evicted the tenant would be homeless, would have to move into a homeless shelter, or would have to move into a close quarters\u00a0residence, AND<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The tenant understands this does not eliminate the obligation to pay rent, fees, interest or penalties, AND FINALLY,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The tenant understands that once\u00a0the ban is lifted, the landlord may require all of the unpaid\u00a0rent to be paid at once.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The federal eviction ban does NOT forgive your responsibility to pay and does not prohibit any type of eviction\u00a0other than &#8220;failure to pay rent.&#8221;\u00a0 In other words, under the federal ban a landlord could issue a &#8220;no cause termination notice.&#8221;\u00a0 As you can see from above, the federal eviction ban does not include a &#8220;six-month repayment clause.&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is possible that the federal government could extend this eviction beyond December 31, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rental_Assistance\"><\/span><b>Rental Assistance<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is talk at the state and local level (in Portland at least) of providing rent\u00a0relief funds to assist tenants who cannot afford to repay the rent they were unable to pay during the pandemic.\u00a0 There may be assistance in a future federal relief bill.\u00a0 However, by most accounts the funds available will be a fraction of the past due rent.\u00a0 For example, through August the City of Portland estimated that there was around $125 million of unpaid rent owed in the City.\u00a0 At that rate it appears to be growing at the rate of about $25 million per month.\u00a0 The City and Multnomah County intend to deploy about $29 million to assist tenants.\u00a0 If that were divided equally it would cover about one month of past due rent, leaving several months still owed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rent_Relief\"><\/span><b>Rent Relief<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back in April the Portland City Council asked the federal government to waive rent and mortgage payments that come due during the pandemic.\u00a0 We believe\u00a0there is precisely a 0% chance that would ever happen as it likely\u00a0would be subject to constitutional\u00a0challenge as a federal taking of a property right without compensation (i.e. the landlord or lenders right to receive payment.)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><b>Conclusion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pandemic is an historical tragedy that will have repercussions that last years\u00a0and is not likely to be fixed with government\u00a0assistance.\u00a0 It is highly likely that many people are going to be trapped with unpaid rent, an inability to catch up on that rent and thus will face housing instability.\u00a0 Even if an individual returns to work soon, they would need to make significantly more money in the future to\u00a0catch up for missed rent from the past.\u00a0 We are not landlord\/tenant lawyers, we are debt relief attorneys and we are here to help should the need\u00a0arise.\u00a0 We may have alternative strategies and would be happy to discuss your unique situation.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The pandemic and resulting economic slowdown have put many people at risk of losing their housing.\u00a0 The Oregon\u00a0legislature has provided some protections for Oregonians who have been economically impacted.\u00a0 The federal government has also weighed in to provide protections.\u00a0 But many questions about eligibility and an uncertain future lies ahead.\u00a0 Without knowing how these legal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9597,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,29],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9580"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9580"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36831,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9580\/revisions\/36831"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdxlegal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}