March 16, 2022

Merkley, Wyden Announce an Additional $16 Million in Emergency Rental Assistance

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced an additional $16 million in federal emergency rental assistance funds allowing the Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to keep the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) open through March 21, 2022. The portal was originally scheduled to close March 14, 2022.

“Everyone—regardless of the color of their skin, their zip code, or their income—deserves a safe, affordable roof over their head,” said Merkley. “For so many families, this pandemic has caused losses of income and new, unexpected costs, making it especially hard to keep up with rent. I’m grateful this additional funding is headed to our state where it will help more Oregonians stay in their homes. I will continue to work hard to secure important funding our communities need to make housing more accessible and affordable during this pandemic and beyond.”

“The monthly challenge of making rent has only been magnified the past two years by the pandemic’s deep economic impact on hard-working Oregonians,” said Wyden. “I’m glad these federal funds are en route to Oregon to help renters get extended assistance covering their housing costs. This is a good step in the ongoing battle to provide affordable housing, and I’ll keep working for additional resources that support housing as a human right.”  

Important information for tenants:

The OERAP portal will remain open until March 21, 2022

• Anyone who has not applied for OERAP in the past and has fallen behind on rent is encouraged to apply for emergency rental assistance before 11:59 p.m. on March 21, 2022, at oregonrentalassistance.org.

• Applicants can continue to log on to the OERAP portal to complete their application or check the status of their finished application. They will be alerted by email as their application advances.

• If a tenant has an incomplete application in the portal, they now have until March 28, 2022, to complete it. This extension applies to applications that are incomplete at the time of closure. New applications will not be accepted after March 21, 2022.

• Tenants who submit new applications can access protections from eviction for nonpayment of rent while their application is being reviewed and processed. Tenants must show proof to their landlord that they applied for the program to receive the protections.

• OHCS will begin processing and paying out applications submitted in 2022 as early as this week.

 

###