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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Thank you to all of you who have reached out to my office with your concerns about how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting you and your families. Many of you have reached out about housing, particularly around your ability to afford rent or a mortgage payment and fear of a potential eviction. I can assure you that I am committed to getting eviction protections and payment assistance to Oregonians across the state who are financially impacted by this unprecedented public health emergency.
The legislative Special Joint Committee on Coronavirus Response has its second meeting tomorrow at 1 p.m. You can livestream the meeting here. The committee’s goal is to prepare an initial emergency relief package as quickly as possible, which will be the focus of an upcoming special session of the Oregon Legislature.
Eviction protections and housing assistance are among the top priorities the committee is discussing. I know the first of the month is fast approaching. My team is working really hard to get housing protections and resources in place as soon as possible. You can view the initial draft proposal here.
At the local level, the City of Portland and Multnomah County announced a moratorium on residential evictions for those who have lost wages due to the pandemic. More information is available here. For more information on existing resources, please go to 211info.org/housing.
Here are the latest coronavirus updates for Oregon:
- The State of Oregon is taking donations for personal protective equipment (PPE). Our health care system is undersupplied right now, and all donations of masks, gowns, and gloves can make an enormous difference as our frontline workers continue to help those infected by coronavirus. More information on how to donate is available here.
- To help enforce social distancing and reduce the spread of the virus, the Metro regional government will transform the Oregon Convention Center into a 130-bed emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness by the end of the week. This follows action by Portland Parks and Recreation earlier this week to open shelter beds at the Charles Jordan Community Center in North Portland for those experiencing homelessness.
- The Oregon Health Authority announced 13 more diagnosed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 88. For perspective, that’s 49 new diagnosed cases since Monday, meaning the total has more than doubled in less than a week.
Here are some important resources provided by Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon about ways to access food if you need to:
Click here for the latest information provided by Portland Public Schools relating to school closures, which will be in effect through April 28.
Some friends shared two awesome videos about washing your hands. Science and disco! Enjoy!
And, please remember, we must all be doing our part to keep a safe distance from each other (social distancing!) to help stop the spread of coronavirus. Here are some important reminders on best practices for keeping your distance.
 For up to date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority where regular updates are posted: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/News-Releases.aspx
Please email me at Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov if you have specific concerns that have not been addressed by the OHA. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.
Best,
Tina Kotek
State Representative
House District 44
Speaker of the House
email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1200
address: 900 Court St NE, H-269, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek
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