On December 21, 2020, the Oregon legislature in an historic third emergency session, passed legislation extending the moratorium (for tenants that sign a declaration of hardship) to June 30, 2021. Along with the extension, state funds have been set aside for an optional housing provider based rent assistance program with the requirement the housing provider forgive 20% of the past due rents. Landlords are not required to forgive 20% if they do not apply for assistance. House Bill 4401 and formally known as LC-18, is very detailed and ORHA is working on educational materials, new forms, and classes to educate housing providers on the changes. It is projected Housing Providers will not be able to apply for assistance until late January as the infrastructure is not ready. Keep an eye out for future updates from ORHA.

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 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

By: Brian Cox, Attorney at Law
12/23/20

On December 21st, 2020, the Oregon Legislature met in special session, passing House Bill 4401 effective immediately upon Governor Brown’s signature. So, what does this change mean to residential Housing Providers in Oregon? Here’s my ‘take’ on the most current version of today’s ‘Rules’ *

What Does HB 4401 Do?

• Prohibits evictions without cause before July 1, 2021, except (after the first year of occupancy) for circumstances under ORS 90.427 (5) involving the demolition or conversion of the dwelling unit, major repairs or renovations when the dwelling unit is or will be unsafe to occupy, or the occupancy of the dwelling unit by the Housing Provider or the Housing Provider’s family member or someone who purchases the dwelling unit.
• Prohibits Housing Providers from charging late fees for rent accruing between April 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
• Extends the emergency period and the end of the grace period and prohibits eviction for nonpayment until June 30, 2021 for Residents providing proof of financial hardship, and for Residents who do not provide proof of financial hardship, extends the emergency period to December 31, 2020 and requires Residents to pay past due rent by March 31, 2021.
• Provides grant payments directly to Housing Providers accepting certain conditions, with multiple application access points and procedures for ease of applying for payments.
• Requires Housing Providers to provide 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.
• Changes the Timelines for Non-Payment Termination Notices.

How Long is the Moratorium Extended?

• “No-cause” evictions and late fees are prohibited until after June 30, 2021.
• If the “first year of occupancy” ends between April 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021, the “first year of occupancy” is extended for the purposes of a termination notice without cause to mean a period lasting until August 31, 2021.
• “Landlord-cause” evictions pursuant to ORS 90.427(5)(a) – (d) (change of use, substantial repairs/renovations, housing provider or immediate family member moving into home, buyer or buyer’s immediate family moving into home) are allowed after the first year of occupancy.
• The emergency period and the end of the grace period is extended to June 30, 2021 for Residents providing a declaration of financial hardship, and requires Residents who provide their declaration of hardship to pay all past due rent by July 1, 2021.
• The Resident’s declaration describes their financial hardship experienced because of one or more of the following conditions on or after March 16, 2020:

• Loss of household income;
• Increased medical expenses;
• Loss of work or wages;
• Increased child care responsibilities or responsibilities to care for a person with a disability or a person who is elderly, injured or sick;
• Increased costs for child care or caring for a person with a disability or a person who is elderly, injured or sick; or
• Other circumstances that have reduced income or increased expenses.

• For Residents who do not provide a declaration of hardship, the emergency period is extended to December 31, 2020 and requires Residents to pay all past due rent accruing between April 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 by March 31, 2021.

How Do I Receive Grant Payments?

• Housing Providers provide Residents with a written notice informing them of their right to submit a declaration of financial hardship signed under penalty of perjury.
• Residents must provide a signed declaration for every household or tenancy declaring financial hardship, delivered to the Housing Provider in writing, email, text message or other method reasonably calculated to achieve receipt.
• Housing Providers complete an online application detailing all unpaid rents from qualified Residents and the Housing Provider’s agreement to forgive 20 percent of outstanding unpaid rent.
• Housing Providers can apply more than once, if new arrearages arise after an initial application.

What Conditions Must Housing Providers Accept to Receive Payments?

To qualify, Housing Providers must:

A. Submit a single application for all of the Residents who have not paid rent and who have delivered a declaration to the Housing Provider stating that they have experienced certain financial hardships;
B. Include copies of all Resident declarations;
C. Provide a description of the unpaid rents not collected since April 1, 2020;
D. Agree to forgive 20% of the unpaid rents not collected since April 1, 2020 through the m date of application for payment;
E. Agree to repay the Department any rent that a qualified Resident or someone on the Resident’s behalf later pays;
F. Not include unpaid rents owed by immediate family members of the Housing Provider; and,
G. Agree not to issue no-cause or non-payment termination notices to the Residents while the application is pending.

Rent Reduction - By agreeing to receive grant funds, Housing Providers agree to accept 80% of unpaid rent accruing between April 1, 2020 and the date of application for payment (ending June 30, 2021).

• $150,000,000 of state general funds are authorized for distribution and administrative support. OHCS will prioritize payments to Housing Providers with fewer units or a higher percentage of unpaid rents and set qualifications, priorities, restrictions, and limits for distributing funds to Housing Providers. OHCS will provide Residents with notice of rent payments and forgiveness on their behalf. The grant payments will be delivered to Housing Providers by local housing authorities.
• $50,000,000 are also authorized for Residents to apply for grant payments to their Housing Providers. OHCS will also distribute rent assistance to recipients of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Emergency Solutions Grants, which includes community action agencies and culturally specific providers, who will make payments directly to Housing Providers upon Residents’ applications.
• The rent assistance program is designed to also distribute any federal funding for rent assistance in the still-being-negotiated-between-Congress-and-President stimulus package.

Reminder Notices About Non-Payment

• A Housing Provider may deliver a written notice to a Resident before the end of the grace period stating that the Resident continues to owe any rent due. The notice must also include a statement that eviction for nonpayment of rent, charges and fees accrued from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 is not allowed to be filed until after June 30, 2021.
• The notice may also include information regarding tenant resources and may offer a voluntary payment plan for the nonpayment balance. If the notice offers a voluntary payment plan, the notice must state that the payment plan is voluntary. The notice may include a request that the Resident contact the Housing Provider to discuss the voluntary payment plan.
• If the Resident has not already provided a declaration of financial hardship, the Housing Provider must provide a written notice informing them of their right to submit a declaration of financial hardship signed under penalty of perjury as well as a form declaration along with every reminder notice.

How are Termination Notices for Non-Payment Timelines Changed?

• Every termination notice or summons for non-payment of rent delivered before June 30, 2021 must be accompanied by a written notice informing the Residents of their right to submit a declaration of financial hardship signed under penalty of perjury, together with a declaration form;
• The 72-hour notice is now a 10-Day notice ending at 11:59 PM; and,
• The 144-hour notice is now a 13-Day notice ending at 11:59 PM.
• The changed timelines end 6/30/21.

Revise Your Non-Payment Notices Accordingly

Filing Evictions

• A Housing Provider who files a complaint for possession under ORS 105.105 to 105.168 based on a notice for nonpayment under ORS 90.392, 90.394 or 90.630 shall file with the complaint a declaration under penalty of perjury stating that the Housing Provider gave the Resident written notice informing them of their right to submit a declaration of financial hardship signed under penalty of perjury together with a form declaration, and that the Housing Provider is not aware of any declaration signed or delivered by the Resident. A copy of the written notice informing them of their right to submit a declaration of financial hardship signed under penalty of perjury together with a form declaration shall be attached to and served with the Summons. A Housing Provider may not challenge the Resident’s declaration.
• Evictions may continue to occur for violations of the rental agreement, other than nonpayment of rent, as well as for non-payment that occurred prior to April 1, 2020.
• A landlord’s acceptance of a partial payment of rent before the end of the grace period does not constitute a waiver of a landlord’s right to terminate the tenancy for:

(A) A violation of the rental agreement, notwithstanding ORS 90.412 (2); or Revise Your Non-Payment Notices Accordingly
(B) Nonpayment of the rent balance owed under ORS 90.394 after the end of the grace period, notwithstanding ORS 90.417 (4).

• If a tenancy terminates before the end of the grace period, a Housing Provider may claim from the security deposit or last month’s rent deposit to repay the unpaid rent balance that accrued during the emergency period under ORS 90.300 (7) or (9).

What If I Make A Mistake?

• The Court is required to dismiss an eviction action filed before end of the grace period based solely on nonpayment if the Resident declares financial hardship or if the Housing Provider fails to provide proof they gave the Resident a notice of rights and declaration form.
• The Resident has a defense to an eviction proceeding – but – court costs and attorney fees \\won’t be assessed against the Housing Provider if they did not know, and did not have reasonable cause to know, at the time of commencing the action that the Resident had submitted a completed form; and promptly dismissed the action, upon becoming aware of the completed form.
• The Resident has a private right of action against their Housing Provider for violations of this Act, providing for injunctive relief and statutory damages equal to the greater of three month’s rent or three times actual damages sustained by the Resident.

Click here for a pdf of this Article

HB 4401  Explained (Moratorium 3.0)

* This update is not intended as legal advice. There are a number of other technical requirements in HB 4401, and you should certainly consult a knowledgeable attorney before taking any eviction or collection action. Please obtain the advice of a knowledgeable attorney for any policy change or decisions regarding residential and commercial Landlord/Tenant matters, as well as laws that impact your local jurisdictions.

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

Click here for
Notice of Eviction Protection & Declaration of Financial Hardship Form

New Legislation has passed the House and Senate providing some relief to landlords, but with a catch.

On December 21, 2020, the Oregon legislature in an historic third emergency session, passed legislation extending the moratorium (for tenants that sign a declaration of hardship) to June 30, 2021. Along with the extension, state funds have been set aside for an optional housing provider based rent assistance program with the requirement the housing provider forgive 20% of the past due rents. Landlords are not required to forgive 20% if they do not apply for assistance. House Bill 4401 and formally known as LC-18, is very detailed and ORHA is working on educational materials, new forms, and classes to educate housing providers on the changes. It is projected Housing Providers will not be able to apply for assistance until late January as the infrastructure is not ready. Keep an eye out for future updates from ORHA.

You can see the final version of the bill here.

Click for More Info

Rent Compensation and Moratorium Extension

By Mark L. Busch, Attorney at Law

This article is general in nature and is not intended as legal advice for any specific issue that might arise, since every situation is different. Always consult a knowledgeable landlord attorney with your specific legal issues.

In its third special session of the year on December 21, 2020, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4401, which will take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature. The bill allows for partial rent compensation payments made directly to landlords, but it also extends the moratorium on nonpayment and no-cause evictions through June 30, 2021 in most cases (and late fees continue to be waived).

HB 4401 directs the Housing and Community Services Department to compensate residential landlords for 80% of the past-due rent owed by qualified tenants that the landlord has not collected since April 1, 2020. The Department is required to set up an online application process for landlords to request compensation from a $150 million fund, and the Department is granted discretion to establish priorities, restrictions, and limits on compensation. Priority is to be given to landlords with fewer rental units, and to landlords with a higher percentage of unpaid rents.

To qualify, landlords must :

(a) submit a single application for all of the landlord’s tenants who have not paid rent and who have delivered a declaration to the landlord stating that they have experienced certain financial hardships

(b) include copies of the tenant declarations

(c) provide a description of the unpaid rents

(d) agree to forgive the remaining 20% of the unpaid rents

(e) agree to repay to the Department any rent that a qualified tenant later pays

(f) not request unpaid rents owed by an immediate family member, and

(g) agree not to issue no-cause or nonpayment termination notices to the tenants while the application is pending.

HB 4401 also extends the “emergency period” for unpaid rent from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020, which means that ALL tenants have a “grace period” until at least March 31, 2021 to repay those amounts to the landlord. However, both the “emergency period” (for not paying rent) and the “grace period” (for repaying rent) are extended through June 30, 2021 if:

(1) the tenant submits a financial hardship declaration to the landlord, OR

(2) the landlord fails to deliver a statutory declaration form and notice to the tenant explaining the process for submitting the declaration to the landlord.

To summarize, landlords are not required to discount unpaid rents by 20% unless they apply for compensation from the state and agree to abide by the rules described above. Tenants who have not paid rent amounts during the period from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 automatically have until March 31, 2021 to repay those amounts to the landlord. Tenants can have the “emergency period” and “grace period” for unpaid rents extended through June 30, 2021 if they submit a financial hardship declaration to the landlord, or if the landlord fails to deliver a statutory declaration form and notice to the tenant. There are also a number of other technical requirements in HB 4401, and you should certainly consult a knowledgeable attorney before taking any eviction or collection actions against a tenant

Act Now! Stand up for Housing Providers

Housing Provider testimony against LC-18 went very well last night. However, we were overshadowed by the amount of testimony in favor of LC-18. You can see last night's hearing here: 

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/mediaplayer/?clientID=4879615486&eventID=2020121083

I urge all members that have not submitted written testimony to do so now!

You can view a copy of LC-18 here: 

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019I1/Downloads/CommitteeMeetingDocument/227497

In this bill legislators are asking Housing Providers to forgive 20% of rent owed by tenants.

Public hearings are being held on Saturday 12/19/2020 at 10am, you can view the hearings here: 

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019I1/Committees/J3SS/Overview

We are requesting all ORHA members and other Housing Providers submit written testimony in opposition to LC-18 before 1pm on Thursday 12/17/2020 to the following email addresses: 

j3ss.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov 

Sen.LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov

Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov

ORHAoffice@gmail.com

Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov

Rep.JulieFahey@oregonlegislature.gov

Rep.JackZika@oregonlegislature.gov

Sen.JeffMerkley@oregonlegislature.gov

Sen.RonWyden@oregonlegislature.gov

Let Oregon legislators know that housing providers should not be required to forgive any past due rents.

Jason L. Miller

Legislative Director, Oregon Rental Housing Association

Find your legislator here: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/FindYourLegislator/leg-districts.html

Call To ACTION!!!

NOW is the Time!

The COVID-19 crisis continues to impact all facets of our lives. For property owners and managers, the pain we have been feeling is going to continue with the latest proposed iteration of the Eviction Moratorium. The bill would extend the moratorium for another six months during which residents are relieved of the duty to pay rent - through the end of June 2021. Renters will have to repay all amounts owed no later than June 30, 2021 (so they say), but in the meantime, you still have to pay your mortgage, taxes and insurance, address needed repairs and upgrades - possibly with no rental income. It’s incomprehensible how they can expect us to continue to provide free housing in some cases to folks who make more than we do. This time at least, they are proposing that residents would have to sign a declaration under penalty of perjury that they have been income affected - but they still don’t have to prove a thing. Even renters who haven’t lost their jobs or suffered a reduction in income, just have to say they have. Many of us have suffered a substantial loss of income, but our pain seems to be meaningless to many of our representatives. The only positive news about this latest effort is that they are providing rent assistance to go along with it, but it will only pay 80% of what is past due, requiring you to “forgive” the other 20%. Why can’t the renters pay the other 20%? Will our political representatives pass a bill allowing us to pay 20% less in taxes or insurance? Repairs? Utilities? Of course not! The rent assistance funds, however, will prioritize smaller housing providers with the largest balances to prevent the larger property managers from scooping up all the money. And 80% is better than nothing. Many of you may have renters who have paid nothing and won’t pay anything for the entire year and a quarter, only to have the renter bail on you or declare bankruptcy and wipe out the entire debt, so this may be better than the alternative, but it still isn’t fair at all. Now is the time to make our voices heard! Contact your representatives and let them hear how this situation is affecting you. It is not helpful to bash any political party or renters in general. It is helpful for them to feel our pain.

Write an email or letter using the following format:             Identify yourself. Give your location. How many rental units you own or manage. Share your personal story. In describing your story, list how Oregon Legislative decisions have impacted you. They need to identify you as a person with a real-life story. Send it to your local state representative. It is more powerful when it comes from a constituent. Send copies to others listed below. Convince two other people to write letters or emails on behalf of housing providers. Send a copy of your letter or email to ORHAoffice@gmail.com

In Solidarity, Tia Politi ORHA Board Secretary

Find your representative using the maps below: Oregon Legislative District Map House District Map Oregon State Representatives Representative Tina Kotek - https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek Oregon House Speaker Representative Julie Fahey - https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/fahey  (District 1) on House Committee on Housing Representative Jack Zika - http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/zika (District 2) on House Committee on Housing Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley - merkley.senate.gov/contact (hit “connect” to get to email) Oregon Senator Ron Wyden -  wyden.senate.gov/contact (hit “contact” to get to email) Congressional Representatives: Suzanne Bonamici - bonamici.house.gov/contact (District 1) Greg Walden - walden.house.gov/contact-greg (District 2) Earl Blumenauer - https://blumenauer.house.gov/ (District 3) Peter Defazio - defazio.house.gov/contact (District 4) Kurt Schrader - schrader.house.gov/contact (District 5)

By: Jason L. Miller - ORHA Legislative Director
11/30/20

All of Oregon is hurting from the devastation caused by COVID19 and wildfires. People have lost their employment and/or their income has been reduced significantly. Many small businesses have been forced to close. Housing providers are experiencing complete or partial loss of income due to resident’s inability or refusal to pay rent, yet housing providers hit by rent moratoriums have been required to pay for mortgages, expenses, maintenance and property taxes. This has caused some housing providers to sell their properties which reduces the inventory of rental homes available to those who lost their homes in wildfires or were forced to relocate due to COVID-19.

We feel it is necessary to continue efforts to keep residents truly affected by these disasters in their homes through housing provider and resident based assistance programs. We do not support a blanket extension of the rent moratorium for all tenants, that only pushes the debt farther out while past due balances grow. LC-18 has been presented as a solution, however there are some concerns.

Legislation should include a mechanism to prevent fraud and encourage communication between residents and housing providers. It should allow housing providers to evict without delay those who are not in financial need yet refusing to pay rent. It should not allow residents to provide declarations of need at the last minute, but rather by the first court appearance or sooner. We ask for no extension of the 72 or 144 hr notice period when tenants are past due and not in need. It is essential that we provide adequate funding for a landlord based rental assistance program making all housing providers 100% whole on past due rents.

Housing providers provide an essential service to Oregon residents and letting them fail would be a disaster. Legislators need to provide rental assistance to all those in need instead of putting it all on the shoulders of housing providers.

You can find a copy of LC-18 here.

Let your legislators know how you feel about LC-18 and it’s impact on Housing Providers.

CALL TO ACTION

To Our Member Housing Providers

Just when housing providers thought they would be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, Oregon lawmakers are looking at additional changes to stabilize housing for those experiencing financial hardship. The current moratorium was set to end on December 31, 2020 but the Legislature is not scheduled to meet until January 19, 2021. So, House Speaker Tina Kotek is looking at having a special session in December, but barring that, the Governor could institute new emergency orders. A new proposal being considered would address the following:

• Extending the moratorium to June 30, 2021, adds language on tenants documenting financial hardship, and gives them until July 1, 2021 to pay back all rent.
• Non-qualifying tenants will only be protected until December 31, 2020 and will have until March 31, 2021 to pay back rent.
• 72-Hour notices for non-payment of rent would be extended to 15-day notices.
• Prohibition on late fees and reporting nonpayment to any consumer credit reporting agency is extended.
• No cause notices are only allowed for owners selling the home to someone who will occupy it, demolishing or converting a unit, undertaking major repairs/renovations, or moving themselves or family into a unit.
• A new addition would be a landlord compensation fund. Landlords could apply directly for rent assistance. The focus will be on smaller housing providers owed large amounts of money and they have to forgive 20% of the amount owed.

The Oregon Rental Housing Association (ORHA), our state organization, is calling us all to action. Let your voice be heard. Contact your state legislators, congressional  members, and Tina Kotek, Speaker of the House about how the above changes will affect your ability to provide housing.

What to do:

1) Write an email or letter using the following format:

     a. Identify yourself

     b. Give your location

     c. How many rental units you own or manage

     d.  Give your personal story.....In describing your story, list how Oregon Legislative decisions have impacted you. They need to identify you as a person with a real-life story. Stick to the facts. Give examples but do not negatively describe tenants or legislators or those in a particular party.

2) Send it to your local state representative. It is more powerful when it comes from a constituent.

3) Send copies to others listed below.

4) Convince two other people to write letters or emails on behalf of housing providers.

5) Send a copy of your letter or email to ORHAoffice@gmail.com.

Find your state representatives:

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/findyourlegislator/leg-districts.html

Representative Tina Kotek - https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek Oregon House Speaker

Representative Julie Fahey - https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/fahey  (District 1) on House Committee on Housing

Representative Jack Zika - http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/zika (District 2) on House Committee on Housing

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley - merkley.senate.gov/contact (hit “connect” to get to email)

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden -  wyden.senate.gov/contact (hit “contact” to get to email)

Congressional Representatives:

Suzanne Bonamici - bonamici.house.gov/contact (District 1)

Greg Walden - walden.house.gov/contact-greg (District 2)

Earl Blumenauer - https://blumenauer.house.gov/ (District 3)

Peter Defazio - defazio.house.gov/contact (District 4)

Kurt Schrader - schrader.house.gov/contact (District 5)

Your help is critical. We appreciate your time in joining us to support Oregon housing providers who give a vital service to our community.

From Violet Wilson, ORHA Education Chair and fellow housing provider

Dear rental property owners,

What a year this has been for Oregon, the financial impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented for many industries, but the impact of the moratoriums has been extremely  hard on independent landlords. The protection  of one group of citizens has created a need in another, it is time to let our legislators know we are in need.

OHRA has raised a call to action to let your legislators know how the moratoriums have impacted you, your family, and your small business. We want them to hear your stories, not how tenants may or may not have taken advantage of the moratorium. The attention needs to be on the landlord's need for assistance.

In addition to your letters, the Key PAC needs your contribution. Contributions help fund campaigns for legislators that understand the challenges landlords face and oppose legislation that is bad for landlords.

Any contribution is helpful and greatly appreciated, visit:https://oregonrentalhousingpac.org  today and contribute to a better Oregon.

Sincerely,

Jason Miller

Legislative Director, Oregon Rental Housing Association

By: Sage Coleman, ORHA President
10/19/20

Fellow Oregon Landlord Members of the Oregon Rental Housing Association,

This President’s Letter is a Call to Action. It is time that we rally together as a unified group and make our voices heard loud and strong to each and every Legislator in the State of Oregon.

Based upon the outpouring of emails, phone calls and Facebook posts from our membership it has become apparent that there is being created within our membership a new class of disaster victim requiring relief.

We hear you and our Executive Committee is working to create an ongoing plan to reach out to Oregon Lawmakers and insist that they change course to provide relief to Landlords in need as well as to level the landlord/tenant playing field.

I encourage every person reading this to use the buddy system and make sure to inspire AT LEAST TWO other Landlords to engage in this process.

We must be genuine, persistent, and consistently clear in our messages to relay the unique personal facts of our experiences as rental housing providers to Oregonians in 2020. 

Please take a few minutes to express specifically how events over the past year are causing you, your family and business harm. Use the links provided below and email your message to your Congressman, Senator, Speaker of the House Kotek, Governor Kate Brown and our office. We will be compiling your messages to share with our Legislative Director and our Lobbyist that they may use them in their discussions with Legislators.

Please use the following format as a guide:

1. Name(s):
2. Location:
3. How many rental units:
4. Short Personal Story: *Show these legislators that you are real working class Oregonians.
5. How have Oregon Legislative Decisions negatively impacted you in 2020? Be specific. Try to avoid abusive and inflammatory language towards tenants and the Oregon Governor’s office and Oregon Legislature. WE UNDERSTAND that some tenants are taking gross advantage of the circumstances made available to them by the Governor and the Oregon Legislature. However, the politics of the current landscape REQUIRE that we REFRAIN FROM DILUTING OUR MESSAGE OF REAL PAIN by bashing tenants or democrats. Stick to the facts of damage being caused to you and we will have their attention.

Things to consider including in your letter:

• How has the lack of rent impacted your financial situation?
• Are you having to use savings to pay the mortgage, pay bills, buy food, utilities, etc.?
• Have you tapped into your retirement savings to pay bills, mortgage, etc.?
• Have you placed your mortgage in forbearance? If so, when is the forbearance due: at the end of the forbearance period or tacked onto the end of the mortgage? This is an added expense.
• Are you facing foreclosure?
• Are you only paying the interest on your mortgage?
• Are you facing bankruptcy?
• Was there scheduled maintenance that has been delayed due to the lack of rental income? If so, is this a habitability issue that has to be corrected?
• Are you paying bills with a credit card, when in the past you paid with the rental income?
• Were you or your next of kin going to move into your rental unit but were delayed by the Executive Orders and HB 4213?
• Are you seeking mental health counseling due to the financial stress?
• Have you lost so much income that you are going to food pantries or applying for SNAP benefits?

On behalf of our General Board and Executive Committee I would like to thank you for being a part of this organization and for taking the time to read this letter. Last but not least, we would like to share that, while it is true that emotional ranting will detract from making change with our messages, it is more important to send your message and make your voice heard. It is not our intent to censure you but to represent you well by tuning our voices so that we will be heard as one voice with the greatest impact. Say your piece. We need your participation. This will be an ongoing process requiring You to reach out to your Representatives and Senators through emailing, mailing, phone calling and traveling to Salem to give testimony in person when the time comes. Members of our Executive Committee will follow up this call to action with a personalized call to action each month. Change will not come quickly nor will it be easy.

Take the first step. Do it now.

Thank you for your participation with this critically important project and also for contributing what you can to the Oregon Rental Housing Key Political Action Committee (ORH KEY PAC):     

          https://oregonrentalhousingpac.org/donate

Together we can,

Sage Coleman - President
Oregon Rental Housing Association
orhapres@gmail.com

Find your representative using the maps below:

Oregon Legislative District Map

House District Map

Oregon State Representatives

Tina Kotek - Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov

Julie Fahey - Rep.juliefahey@oregonlegislature.gov (District 1)

Jack ZiKa - Rep.jackzika@oregonlegislature.gov (District 2)

Jeff Merkley - merkley.senate.gov/contact

Ron Wyden - wyden.senate.gov/contact

Peter Defazio - defazio.house.gov/contact (District 4)

Suzanne Bonamici - bonamici.house.gov/contact (District 1)

Greg Walden - walden.house.gov/contact-greg (District 2)

Earl Blumenauer - blumenauer.house.gov (District 1)

Kurt Schrader - schrader.house.gov/contact (District 5)