SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Housing and Community Services announced Friday that it will close the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) on August 12.
The portal remains closed to new applicants. Tenants with current incomplete applications or in need of recertification are encouraged to submit their materials immediately. New applications are not being accepted, but tenants with existing applications in the system who submit their completed applications by August 12 will continue to be processed while funds remain.
The state was recently notified that it would receive nearly $7 million in additional federal emergency rental assistance funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This funding will support families and individuals who have submitted recertification applications for additional OERP assistance. .
“Throughout the pandemic, OHCS and our partners have worked tirelessly to distribute critical emergency resources to create stability for vulnerable renters and cash-strapped homeowners, all in the service of supporting an equitable recovery,” said Jill Smith, Interim Director of the Housing Stabilization Division. at OHCS.
OHCS has paid $390.38 million in emergency rental assistance to 60,829 households. Temporary emergency funding helped approximately 130,000 Oregonians stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
OHCS launched OERAP in May 2021, and after an initial slow start, the agency catapulted to become a regularly ranked top-five state by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). The agency received additional funding from the US Treasury and the Oregon Legislature based on demonstrated need. The agency and its partners have distributed more than $500 million in rental assistance from state and federal funds since January 2021.
Oregon has provided the highest percentage of assistance of all states, according to the NLIHC, ranking Oregon first in the nation in percentage of emergency rental assistance funds paid and obligated.
“As one of the few top performing states, our program attributes our ability to scale the program quickly to our strong partnerships. However, the demonstrable need remains,” Smith said. “We have always known that even with record levels of assistance, the need in Oregon continues to far outstrip the funds available. I am grateful to the Oregon Legislature for taking the forward-thinking step of funding additional eviction supports for hard-pressed Oregonians. We know the need continues.”
As OERP closes, preventing evictions will continue to be a priority. The OHCS created the Oregon Eviction Prevention and Diversion Program (ORE-DAP) with part of the $100 million in eviction prevention funding the agency received from the Oregon Legislature in December 2021.
The new program aims to quickly help Oregonians facing eviction by providing rental assistance and other critical eviction and housing-related resources such as case management, mediation and legal services. This program is being administered statewide by community action agencies in partnership with culturally responsive organizations. To access ORE-DAP resources, tenants can contact their community action agencies or call 2-1-1 to connect with resources in their area.
Important OEAP Closing Information for Tenants
Tenants who previously received assistance and still need assistance must complete the recertification process on or before 23:59 on August 12, 2022. Applicants must still be eligible for assistance to qualify for the recertification payment.
Applicants can login to the portal and check the status of their application to ensure it is complete. Tenants with incomplete recertification applications will need to provide the missing documents or information. If you do not complete and file pending recertification applications by the deadline, you could lose SB 891 eviction protections.
If tenants are eligible to reapply and need additional assistance, they will receive an email with instructions on how to reapply. The remaining OERP funding is limited, and even if an applicant is eligible, there is no guarantee that their application will be funded.
Rental assistance is still available locally. For more information, tenants can call 2-1-1 or visit oregonrentalassistance.org. People who have received an eviction notice should contact the Oregon Law Center. Eviction Defense Project for legal support. Landlords can be reimbursed for eligible non-payment costs, such as rent and fees incurred during the “safe harbor” period, by requesting the Owner Warranty Program.