Oregon Rent Cap for 2022 has increased to 9.9%

ATTENTION!!!

THE ALLOWABLE STATEWIDE
RENT INCREASE FOR 2022 IS: 9.9%

On September 15, the State of Oregon's Office of Economic Analysis debuted the maximum rent increase rate for 2022 to be 9.9%. SB 608 set the maximum rent increase formula to be 7% plus the West Coast Consumer Price Index, which changes every year. For 2021 the maximum increase was 9.2%. Once SB 608 passed in February of 2019 ushering in the first in the nation statewide rent control, it mandated that the state of Oregon create a web page and update it yearly by the end of September, to display the annual maximum rent increase allowed in Oregon.  The Oregon Rent Stabilization website is: https://www.oregon.gov/das/OEA/Pages/Rent-stabilization.aspx Rent increases going into effect for Oregon residents in 2022 must not be more than 9.9% as set forth in the Oregon Residential Landlord Tenant Act related to rent control. This applies statewide, including in the City of Portland. If a rental housing provider happens to increase the rent above maximum amount allowed, SB 608 specifies a penalty of 3 months’ rent, actual damages sustained by the tenant, and potential attorney fees and legal costs. Please remember that there are limited exemptions to the rent cap for affordable housing providers and for new construction. Housing providers should not increase rent more than 9.9% without consulting with their attorneys about exemptions and how to implement. This informational notice is not intended as legal advice. Please call your local Association Helpline if you have questions or contact an attorney for any policy change or decisions regarding residential and commercial Landlord-Tenant matters.

By: Tia Politi, ORHA President
September 1,2021

Hello ORHA members,

I am equal parts excited and terrified to be your new ORHA President!

I would like to honor our outgoing President, Sage Coleman, who despite challenges in his personal life, continued the work started by Past-President and current Legislative Director, Jason Miller, to make our group more efficient and cohesive by dragging us into the 21st Century in regards to our use of technology. The Google platform is allowing our committee and team members to collaborate more effectively in many ways. Sage’s term hit during the pandemic and required extraordinary efforts in regards to leadership and legislation. He was an effective voice for ORHA during some crucial conversations and media events and represented us well. A shout out of appreciation to Vice President Ben Seamans, who stepped up ably to fill in for Sage when he was unable to be present. We have a dedicated, dynamic and cohesive board that comes together when needed to support each other when our personal lives conflict with our volunteer lives.

During the past year or so, we have discovered the efficiencies (and cost savings) that can be created through virtual meetings, but we also feel that in-person meetings provide a creative (and fun) dynamic that helps us connect in a way that virtual meetings can’t. Therefore, the board has decided to hold two of our six bi-monthly meetings each year remotely for the months of November and January. Since travel is more difficult during the fall and winter months, it made sense to stay home then.

A little bit about me: I have been a housing provider since 2003, and a licensed property manager since 2009. I am also President of the Rental Owners Association of Lane County, Secretary for ORHA Education, Inc., and I head up the ORHA Forms Committee. I serve as a volunteer instructor for St. Vincent de Paul’s Second Chance Renter’s Rehab Program, and teach classes in rental management throughout the state, including a class teaching high school seniors the basics of renting a home. I own and operate Rental Housing Support Services, LLC, providing consultation, landlord-tenant training, mediation, notice prep and service, eviction support, and telephone helpline services to housing providers in Oregon. Married 34 years to Kevin, two grown children, two dogs. Love power walking, gardening, playing cards and board games, and working.

Besides myself, our other new and continuing officers are Ben Seamans, (serving his first official two-year term as Vice President after stepping in to the position several months ago), Jill Maricich who will serve another term as Treasurer, and Parker Vernon, who has agreed to be our acting Secretary until we can vote him in at the next meeting. The Executive Committee also consists of At-Large Member and ORHA Technology Chair, Cloud Miller, representing SE Oregon, as well as Legislative Director Jason Miller, and longtime ORHA board members and EC advisors, Dennis Chappa, and Violet Wilson, and Maria Menguita, ORHA Social Media Committee Chair. Sage Coleman will continue to serve on the committee, fulfilling the role of Past President.

We are blessed with a fantastic and growing group of leaders in the state organization as well as our local associations, and are excited to see younger members stepping up to lead at the state and local level. The future for ORHA is brighter than ever and I look forward to collaborating with all of you to ensure that our group continues to improve on the work of our past leaders and volunteers, maintaining ORHA’s stature as the voice of landlords throughout the state. Please feel free to reach out to me with ideas, suggestions, compliments or complaints: orhapres@gmail.com.

Warm regards,
Tia Politi, ORHA President

The CDC Issued a New Order effective August 3^rd, 2021

The U.S. Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) issued a new [narrower and targeted] order effective August 3^rd, 2021 temporarily halting evictions in counties with heightened levels of community transmission in order to respond to recent, unexpected developments in the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rise of the Delta variant. It is intended to target specific areas of the country where cases are rapidly increasing, which likely would be exacerbated by mass evictions. Accordingly, subject to the limitations under "Applicability," a landlord, owner of a residential property, or other person with a legal right to pursue eviction or possessory action, shall not evict any covered person from any residential property in any county or U.S. territory while the county or territory is experiencing substantial or high levels of community transmission of SARS-Co V -2. This order is effective through October 3, 2021.

Where Does It Apply?

This Order applies in U.S. counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of SARS-CoV-2 as defined by CDC, as of August 3, 2021. If a U.S. county that is not covered by this Order as of August 3, 2021 later experiences substantial or high levels of community transmission while this Order is in effect, then that county will become subject to this Order as of the date the county begins experiencing substantial or high levels of community transmission. If a U.S. county that is covered by this Order no longer experiences substantial or high levels of community transmission for 14 consecutive days, then this Order will no longer apply in that county, unless and until the county again experiences substantial or high levels of community transmission while this Order is in effect.

This Order does not apply in any state, local, territorial, or tribal area with a moratorium on residential evictions that provides the same or greater level of public-health protection than the requirements listed in this Order or to the extent its application is prohibited by Federal court order. In accordance with 42 U.S.C. 264(e), this Order does not preclude state, local, territorial, and tribal authorities from imposing additional requirements that provide greater public-health protection and are more restrictive than the requirements in this Order.

 

What Does the CDC Order Say?

This Order is a temporary eviction moratorium to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. This Order does not relieve any individual of any obligation to pay rent, make a housing payment, or comply with any other obligation that the individual may have under a tenancy, lease, or similar contract. Nothing in this Order precludes the charging or collecting of fees, penalties, or interest as a result of the failure to pay rent or other housing payment on a timely basis, under the terms of any applicable contract.

Nothing in this Order precludes evictions based on a tenant, lessee, or resident: (1) Engaging in criminal activity while on the premises; (2) threatening the health or safety of other residents; (3) damaging or posing an immediate and significant risk of damage to property; ( 4) violating any applicable building code, health ordinance, or similar regulation relating to health and safety; or (5) violating any other contractual obligation, other than the timely payment of rent or similar housing-related payment (including non-payment or late payment of fees, penalties, or interest).

Any evictions for nonpayment of rent initiated prior to issuance of this Order but not yet completed, are subject to this Order. Any tenant, lessee, or resident of a residential property who previously submitted a Declaration, still qualifies as a "Covered Person" and is still present in a rental unit is entitled to protections under this Order. Any eviction that was completed before issuance of this Order including from August 1 through August 3, 2021 is not subject to this Order, as it does not operate retroactively.

Under this Order, covered persons may be evicted for engaging in criminal activity while on the premises. But covered persons may not be evicted on the sole basis that they are alleged to have committed the crime of trespass (or similar state-law offense) where the underlying activity is a covered person remaining in a residential property for nonpayment of rent. Permitting such evictions would result in substantially more evictions overall, thus increasing the risk of disease transmission as otherwise covered persons move into congregate settings or experience homelessness. This result would be contrary to the stated objectives of this Order, and therefore would diminish their effectiveness. Moreover, to the extent such criminal trespass laws are invoked to establish criminal activity solely based on a tenant, lessee, or resident of a residential property remaining in a residential property despite the nonpayment of rent, such invocation conflicts with this Order and is preempted pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 264(e).

 

How Do Resident’s Qualify Under This Order?

To qualify for the protections of this Order, a tenant, lessee, or resident of a residential property must provide a completed and signed copy of a declaration with the elements listed in the definition of "Covered person" to their landlord, owner of the residential property where they live, or other person who has a right to have them evicted or removed from where they live. To assist tenants and landlords, the CDC created a standardized declaration form that can be downloaded here:                    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/EvictionProtectDeclare_508.pdf

Tenants, lessees, and residents of residential property are not obligated to use the CDC form. Any written document that an eligible tenant, lessee, or resident of residential property presents to their landlord will comply with this Order, as long as it contains the required elements of "Covered person" as described in this Order. In addition, tenants, lessees, and residents of residential property are allowed to declare in writing that they meet the elements of "Covered person" in other languages.

All declarations, regardless of form used, must be signed, and must include a statement that the tenant, lessee, or resident of a residential property understands that they could be liable for perjury for any false or misleading statements or omissions in the declaration. This Order does not preclude a landlord challenging the truthfulness of a tenant' s, lessee's, or resident's declaration in court, as permitted under state or local law. In certain circumstances, such as individuals filing a joint tax return, it may be appropriate for one member of the residence to provide an executed declaration on behalf of the other adult residents, party to the lease, rental agreement, or housing contract.

The declaration may be signed and transmitted either electronically or by hard copy. As long as the information in a previously signed declaration submitted under a previous order remains truthful and accurate, covered persons do not need to submit a new declaration under this Order. However, eligibility for protection will be based on the terms of this Order.

What If I Violate the Order?

Under 18 U.S.C. 3559, 3571; 42 U.S.C. 271; and 42 CFR 70.18, a person violating this Order may be subject to a fine of no more than $100,000 or one year in jail, or both, if the violation does not result in a death, or a fine of no more than $250,000 or one year in jail, or both if the violation results in a death, or as otherwise provided by law. An organization violating this Order may be subject to a fine of no more than $200,000 per event if the violation does not result in a death or $500,000 per event if the violation results in a death or as otherwise provided by law. The U.S. Department of Justice may initiate criminal proceedings as appropriate seeking imposition of these criminal penalties. One should fairly expect that violation of this order would also provide a tenant with a legal defense in a state eviction proceeding.

The full CDC Order may be found at:   https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-eviction-declaration.html

Good Luck in Our Ever-Changing World

Brian Cox

Substantial changes in landlord-tenant law are in effect under the mandates of SB 278, signed into law on June 24, 2021. These changes are temporary but dramatically impact your rights to terminate for nonpayment through February 28, 2022. To further complicate matters, the CDC has extended their eviction moratorium through July 31, 2021.

Effective July 1, 2021, SB 278 requires that when serving a notice for nonpayment, the landlord must include a notice about a tenant’s rights to be protected from eviction. This notice must also be included with any court summons for eviction for nonpayment. “Nonpayment” means the nonpayment of a payment that is due to a landlord, including a payment of rent, late charges, utility or service charges or any other charge or fee as described in the rental agreement or ORS 90.140, 90.302, 90.315, 90.392, 90.394, 90.560 to90.584 or 90.630.

The required notice can be found at the ORHA Website, and the ORHA Forms Store site, and has been added to nonpayment forms on the forms store, including 10-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for Nonpayment of Rent – ORHA form 4A, 13-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for Nonpayment of Rent, ORHA form #44A, and Notice of Termination with Cause – ORHA form #38 (just in case you’re using a for-cause notice to require payment of other charges).

If, after serving a notice of termination for nonpayment, the Tenant provides the Landlord with documentation that they have applied for rent assistance, a Landlord may not deliver a termination notice for nonpayment or initiate or continue an action for possession based on the notice for nonpayment for 60 days. “Documentation” includes electronic mail, a screenshot or other written or electronic documentation from a rent assistance provider verifying the submission of an application for rental assistance.

If an eviction action has been filed and the Tenant provides the required documentation at or before the first appearance in court, the Tenant will be entitled to a 60-day stay of the action, while the rent assistance application is pending.

If, after the 60-day waiting period, the nonpayment balance remains unpaid, The Housing and Community Services Department shall provide a grant to a third party to make distributions to compensate landlords who, under section 2 of this 2021 Act, have delayed termination notices or eviction proceedings. A landlord may apply for compensation for nonpayment that accrued during the delay if the landlord demonstrates that:

• The tenant’s application for rental assistance was denied; or
• Sixty days have passed since the tenant provided documentation of application for rental assistance without the landlord receiving rental assistance.

Courts will dismiss eviction actions for nonpayment if the court determines that:

• The landlord failed to attach the notice as required.
• The tenant’s nonpayment was substantially caused by the landlord’s failure to reasonably participate with a rental assistance program.
• The landlord receives rental assistance covering the rent owed under the notice.
• The tenant provided the landlord with documentation of application for rental assistance as described in subsection (2) of this section before the claim was filed. 

If a Landlord violates this section:

• A tenant may obtain injunctive relief to recover possession or address any other violation;
• The tenant has a defense to an action for possession by the landlord.

Notwithstanding ORS 105.137 (4), if a claim for possession is dismissed under this section, the tenant is not entitled to prevailing party fees, costs, or attorney fees if the landlord:

• Delivered to the tenant all notices required under subsection (3) of this section as required;
• Did not know, and did not have reasonable cause to know, at the time of commencing the action that the tenant had provided documentation of application for rental assistance under subsection (2) of this section; and
• Promptly dismissed the action upon becoming aware of the documentation of application for rental assistance.

CDC Moratorium Extension

The CDC moratorium prohibits eviction of “covered persons,” and applies in states whose rules are less restrictive than the CDC rules. Since the implementation of the CDC rules months ago, Oregon’s rules have been considered by many to be more restrictive; however, with this one-month extension, and the new rules imposed by SB 278, we are unsure if this is still the case.

This CDC moratorium prohibits Landlords from taking action against Tenants based on nonpayment if they have provided their Landlord with a declaration asserting various conditions that prevent them from paying. You can read the CDC moratorium rules and find the Tenant Declaration at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-eviction-declaration.html

The Takeaway

Housing providers are strongly encouraged to seek legal advice prior to serving any notice of termination for nonpayment as we cannot be sure how the two laws intersect, or which one a court may rule takes precedence over the other. If the CDC moratorium is not extended beyond July 31, 2021, housing providers will only be required to comply with the mandates of SB 278; however, it is important to note that the protections offered to renters by the bill remain in effect through February 28, 2022.

June 21, 2021

In this recording we hear from Jason Miller, Legislative Director for the Oregon Rental Housing Association and Community Alliance of Tenants Executive Director Kim McCarty. Oregon’s eviction moratorium is set to expire at the end of this month, but lawmakers just passed a 60-day extension for tenants who can show proof that they’ve applied for rental assistance. It doesn't matter if that assistance has not yet come through.

OPB's Think Out Loud interviews Jason Miller

source: https://www.opb.org/article/2021/06/17/oregon-eviction-moratorium-end-date-whats-next/

Substantial changes in landlord-tenant law are in effect under the mandates of SB 278, signed into law on June 24, 2021. These changes are temporary but dramatically impact your rights to terminate for nonpayment through February 28, 2022. To further complicate matters, the CDC has extended their eviction moratorium through July 31, 2021.

Effective July 1, 2021, SB 278 requires that when serving a notice for nonpayment, the landlord must include a notice about a tenant’s rights to be protected from eviction. This notice must also be included with any court summons for eviction for nonpayment. “Nonpayment” means the nonpayment of a payment that is due to a landlord, including a payment of rent, late charges, utility or service charges or any other charge or fee as described in the rental agreement or ORS 90.140, 90.302, 90.315, 90.392, 90.394, 90.560 to90.584 or 90.630.

The required notice can be found at the ORHA Website, and the ORHA Forms Store site, and has been added to nonpayment forms on the forms store, including 10-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for Nonpayment of Rent – ORHA form 4A, 13-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for Nonpayment of Rent, ORHA form #44A, and Notice of Termination with Cause – ORHA form #38 (just in case you’re using a for-cause notice to require payment of other charges).

If, after serving a notice of termination for nonpayment, the Tenant provides the Landlord with documentation that they have applied for rent assistance, a Landlord may not deliver a termination notice for nonpayment or initiate or continue an action for possession based on the notice for nonpayment for 60 days. “Documentation” includes electronic mail, a screenshot or other written or electronic documentation from a rent assistance provider verifying the submission of an application for rental assistance.

If an eviction action has been filed and the Tenant provides the required documentation at or before the first appearance in court, the Tenant will be entitled to a 60-day stay of the action, while the rent assistance application is pending.

If, after the 60-day waiting period, the nonpayment balance remains unpaid, The Housing and Community Services Department shall provide a grant to a third party to make distributions to compensate landlords who, under section 2 of this 2021 Act, have delayed termination notices or eviction proceedings. A landlord may apply for compensation for nonpayment that accrued during the delay if the landlord demonstrates that:

• The tenant’s application for rental assistance was denied; or
• Sixty days have passed since the tenant provided documentation of application for rental assistance without the landlord receiving rental assistance.

Courts will dismiss eviction actions for nonpayment if the court determines that:

• The landlord failed to attach the notice as required.
• The tenant’s nonpayment was substantially caused by the landlord’s failure to reasonably participate with a rental assistance program.
• The landlord receives rental assistance covering the rent owed under the notice.
• The tenant provided the landlord with documentation of application for rental assistance as described in subsection (2) of this section before the claim was filed. 

If a Landlord violates this section:

• A tenant may obtain injunctive relief to recover possession or address any other violation;
• The tenant has a defense to an action for possession by the landlord.

Notwithstanding ORS 105.137 (4), if a claim for possession is dismissed under this section, the tenant is not entitled to prevailing party fees, costs, or attorney fees if the landlord:

• Delivered to the tenant all notices required under subsection (3) of this section as required;
• Did not know, and did not have reasonable cause to know, at the time of commencing the action that the tenant had provided documentation of application for rental assistance under subsection (2) of this section; and
• Promptly dismissed the action upon becoming aware of the documentation of application for rental assistance.

CDC Moratorium Extension

The CDC moratorium prohibits eviction of “covered persons,” and applies in states whose rules are less restrictive than the CDC rules. Since the implementation of the CDC rules months ago, Oregon’s rules have been considered by many to be more restrictive; however, with this one-month extension, and the new rules imposed by SB 278, we are unsure if this is still the case.

This CDC moratorium prohibits Landlords from taking action against Tenants based on nonpayment if they have provided their Landlord with a declaration asserting various conditions that prevent them from paying. You can read the CDC moratorium rules and find the Tenant Declaration at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-eviction-declaration.html

The Takeaway

Housing providers are strongly encouraged to seek legal advice prior to serving any notice of termination for nonpayment as we cannot be sure how the two laws intersect, or which one a court may rule takes precedence over the other. If the CDC moratorium is not extended beyond July 31, 2021, housing providers will only be required to comply with the mandates of SB 278; however, it is important to note that the protections offered to renters by the bill remain in effect through February 28, 2022.

By: Jason Miller, ORHA Legislative Director
March 23, 2021

The flood gates opened this year with a tidal wave of bills targeting the rental industry. After many hearings, work groups and discussions with legislators here is where we sit on the most important bills. Thank you to all those who volunteered to write their legislators and/or testify to the committees. It truly made a difference.

HB 2484 - This bill will require Housing Providers to allow Family Child Care in their properties. This bill is very popular and has bipartisan support. Housing Providers flooded legislators with letters and testimony. As a result, legislators created a workgroup to address Housing Provider concerns. We are expecting to see a draft addendum of negotiated changes addressing some of these concerns in the next few weeks.

HB 2372 - This bill would eliminate a Housing Provider’s ability to terminate a rental contract for no cause. The last public hearing was on March 2nd, 2021. Housing Providers once again flooded legislators with letters and testimony letting their voices be heard. As a result, no new meetings have been scheduled for this bill.

HB 2427 - This bill would mandate a uniform rental application and screening. A Housing Provider must accept this uniform screening from a tenant without the ability to verify the information. ORHA opposes this bill. This bill is scheduled for a work session on March 30th, 2021. Contact your local legislator, we need to prevent this bill from passing. Find who your local legislators are here: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/FindYourLegislator/leg-districts.html

SB 282-3 - The original language of this bill was very one-sided. ORHA, in collaboration with other Housing Provider groups, requested a work group to discuss how we can make the bill more fair for everyone. Chair Jama then formed a small work group of Housing Providers and Tenant advocates. The work group was a positive experience and created a bill that was more fairly balanced. This bill will extend a grace period until Feb 28th 2022 on past due rents from the moratorium periods. It does not extend the moratorium. The language assuming all evictions to tenants with past due balances is retaliation from the Housing Provider has been removed. It allows tenants to have long term guests during this emergency period, but allows Housing Providers to screen them. The original bill did not allow screening. Because of the concessions made, ORHA and the other Housing Provider Groups are taking a neutral stance on this bill.

SB 330 - ORHA is in support of SB 330. This bill creates a safety net in the form of a tax credit for Housing Providers who are unable to receive unpaid rent from the pandemic period through the Landlord Compensation Fund or tenant based assistance. In a recent survey by DHM Research, 73% of Oregonians sampled support tax credits for Housing Providers who have lost rent due to the COVID pandemic. Let’s hope our legislators listen to their constituents. A public hearing and work session is scheduled for March 30th, 2021. Please write to your local legislator to show your support for SB 330. Find who your local legislators are here: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/FindYourLegislator/leg-districts.html

Despite the difficulty of being in the middle of a pandemic and working remotely, our voices have been heard. We may not be 100% happy with pending legislation, but we are in a much better position than when the session started. Thanks to all our members, our lobbyist and legislative team, we are no longer facing a mountain of one-sided bills that would harm the industry. 

March 16, 2021

Listen to Bill Lundun of Newsradio 1120 KPNW - The Wake Up Call interview Tia Politi regarding the state of Oregon's Rental Housing industry.  Tia Politi is a licensed property manager, rental owner, and president of the Rental Owners Association of Lane County. She serves as the secretary for the Oregon Rental Housing Association (ORHA) and ORHA Education, Inc., heads up the ORHA Forms Committee, serves as a volunteer instructor for St. Vincent de Paul’s Second Chance Renter’s Rehab Program, and teaches classes in rental management throughout the state, including a class teaching high school seniors the basics of renting a home. Tia owns and operates Rental Housing Support Services, LLC, providing consultation, landlord-tenant training, mediation, notice prep and service, eviction support, and telephone helpline services.

KPNW's The Wake Up Call interviews Tia Politi

By: Brooks Hayes, President of Hayes Insurance Group
March 11, 2021

With most Landlord Dwelling insurance policies, childcare or any other business conducted on the property is not allowed. Most carriers will send you either a non renewal letter or if they feel there's a real liability they will send you a cancellation for violation of contract. But even if they didn’t cancel the policy, the simple fact that it’s excluded from your policy affords you no coverage.

If the law (proposed HB 2484) ends up anything like it is in California, you’re in for some real surprises. Not only are you not allowed to evict a tenant that starts a daycare, the tenant only has to notify you its going to happen, with or without your permission. Your only defense is you are allowed to increase the deposit by 2x and sometimes 3x, you are however NOT allowed to evict or raise the rents because of the increased traffic or liabilities, you’re not even allowed to require nor are the tenants mandated to have liability insurance, they can have the parents of the children sign an agreement that they don’t have liability insurance and that the landlords insurance may not cover liabilities. So does that relieve you of any liabilities then? NO I don’t think so! The second there’s an accident they come looking for the deepest pockets. The tenant decided it wasn’t worth the premium to acquire the correct insurance or any, the landlord dwelling policy excludes all business conducted on the property, so that leaves the landlord to defend claims and pay liabilities on their own. With this being said, it would be in a landlords best interest to acquire a commercial childcare business insurance to offset any open liability with an average cost of thousands of dollars per year. What about upgrades? As a landlord are you going to have to bring the property up to childcare regulations? Does the property have any lead based paint? What if a nail works loose and a child is injured? I believe there is a huge amount of risk that could potentially be directed to the landlord. I’m sure the insurance carriers will see an opportunity, they will sit back and assess for a few years and then raise rates on all properties to account for the coverages that will be required, So whether or not you have a daycare or not, will not change the fact you’ll be paying the price for it.

This is my opinion and not legal advise, I advise you to talk with your attorney and insurance agent to see how it will effect the policy you have in place.

References Cal. Health and Safety Code section 1597.40 (2021)

Penalties for mistakes made can be expensive, we recommend you consult an attorney before you take any action against your resident(s).

HB 4401 requires Housing Providers to send the Notice of Eviction Protection and the Tenant Declaration form under certain circumstances. During the new Grace Period, if a Housing provider serves a 72- or 144-hour notice for non-payment (remember these are now 10- or 13-day notices through the end of June) for current rents due, serves any notice for termination for non-payment of rent or other charges, or sends a statement of account indicating that the resident has through March 31, 2021 to pay amounts owing that accrued during the Emergency Period that ended December 31, 2020, these forms MUST be included.

Residents must provide a signed declaration for household or tenancy declaring financial hardship, delivered to the Housing Provider in writing, email, text message or other method reasonably calculated to achieve receipt. If the declaration is provided to the Housing Provider, they are entitled to withhold payment and are not considered in default unless they fail to pay the balance by June 30, 2021.

Housing Providers are not required to send the Notice of Eviction Protection and the Tenant Declaration if they intend to allow their residents the full Grace Period through June 30, 2021.

You can see the final version of the bill here:

House Bill 4401 (Dec 2020)

To read more about the House Bill 4401 (Moratorium 3.0) defined by Brian Cox Attorney, read his news article:

House Bill 4401 ~ Moratorium 3.0 Explained 

Requires Housing Providers to provide impacted Residents with written notice informing them of their right to submit a declaration of financial hardship made under penalty of perjury in a form proscribed in HB 4401.  Sample Form:

Notice of Eviction Protection & Declaration of Financial Hardship

Housing Providers may find updated information on the Oregon Housing and Community Services landlord compensation fund by visiting:

https://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/housingassistance/Pages/Landlord-tenant-resources.aspx