Governor Kate Brown today issued Executive Order 20-11, placing a temporary moratorium on residential evictions for nonpayment in light of the public health emergency caused by the spread of coronavirus in Oregon. The order is effective for 90 days.
“Through no fault of their own, many Oregonians have lost jobs, closed businesses, and found themselves without a source of income to pay rent and other housing costs during this coronavirus outbreak,” said Governor Brown. “The last thing we need to do during this crisis is turn out more Oregonians struggling to make ends meet from their homes and onto the streets.
“This is both a moral and a public health imperative. Keeping people in their homes is the right thing for Oregon families, and for preventing the further spread of COVID-19.”
Under the Governor's emergency powers, the order places a temporary hold throughout Oregon on law enforcement actions relating to residential evictions for not paying rent.
Recognizing that landlords and property owners face their own costs if tenants are not able to pay rent, the Governor and her Coronavirus Economic Advisory Council are engaging lenders to find potential solutions and are exploring various state and federal policy options that might be available to provide assistance to borrowers or other options for relief. Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Department of Consumer and Business Services are also pursuing relief options at the direction of the Governor.
The order is part of the Governor's coronavirus housing and homelessness strategy, which includes expanding shelter capacity with social distancing measures in place, identifying emergency COVID-19 shelter options for people experiencing homelessness who must be isolated or quarantined, exploring options for rent assistance, seeking expansion of federal eviction moratoriums, and homeowner foreclosure avoidance.
All coronavirus executive orders will be posted on the Oregon Coronavirus Information and Resources Page after they have been issued and signed.