October 27, 2020

Need help with rent and mortgage?

Making rent or mortgage payments can be a challenge right now. We want you to know there is help available.

Renters are protected by an eviction moratorium in Oregon through Dec. 31, 2020. Tenants cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent during this time. You can find other protections that are part of the moratorium on the Community Alliance of Tenants webpage. If you need help coming up with your rent, 211info also has information on rental assistance throughout Oregon.

For homeowners, the Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative (OSHI) has a COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance Program.  You can learn about eligibility requirements and the application process at OHSI's website. There is a moratorium on foreclosures through Dec. 31, 2020 as well.

Gov. Kate Brown extends COVID-19 State of Emergency

Governor Kate Brown today extended her declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until Jan. 2, 2021. The declaration is the legal underpinning for the Governor’s COVID-19 executive orders and the Oregon Health Authority’s health and safety guidance. She issued the following statement:

“As early as January of this year, the Oregon Health Authority began its COVID-19 preparedness efforts as cases spread overseas. Since then, more than 600 Oregonians and over 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 — and last week, we set a daily record with 550 new cases.

"Extending the COVID-19 state of emergency is not something I do lightly, but we know all too well that not taking action would mean an even greater loss of life. The second wave of COVID-19 has arrived in the United States, and this time it is hitting all of our communities.

“My goal is to keep Oregon on track to open more schools for in-person instruction for our students — and to continue to reopen, and keep open, our businesses, communities and economies. Oregon is not an island. Without safety precautions in place, we could quickly see our case counts spike as well.

“We must continue to work together and follow the simple steps that have kept us safe throughout this pandemic: Washing our hands, wearing face coverings, watching our physical distance, staying home when sick, and avoiding social get-togethers, especially indoors.”

Learn more in today’s news release.

Health care providers: Apply for new round of federal Provider Relief Fund payments by Nov. 6

Health Care providers can apply for new Provider Relief Fund payments through Nov. 6. The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expects to distribute approximately $20 billion to eligible providers, including previous applicants and recipients, behavioral health providers and providers who began practicing in the first quarter of 2020. As of Oct. 22, even more providers can apply, regardless of whether they have received Medicare or Medicaid funds. See the expanded list of eligible providers, and learn more on the HHS website.