Town Hall Reminder, Tenant-Landlord Assistance, OED Update, and more

Representative Andrea Salinas

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

One final reminder that I will host a virtual back-to-school town hall this Wednesday, August 19 from 7-8:30 pm  with Lake Oswego School District Superintendent Dr. Lora de la Cruz. We’ll be in conversation with students, teachers, and parents to discuss the upcoming school year and what we can expect. Space is limited, so please register in advance here, and email any questions to rep.andreasalinas@oregonlegislature.gov.

Ahead of the town hall, I also wanted to share the latest Oregon Department of Education (ODE) update to the Ready Schools, Safe Learners, the 2020-21 school year guidance, and Lake Oswego School District’s Roadmap to Reopening.

I look forward to the conversation on Wednesday, and I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Rep. Salinas Signature

Andrea Salinas, State Representative 

Be Counted Today

Every Oregonian can and should respond to the 2020 Census. The census doesn’t just tell the story of our state, it affects funding for our communities, planning for the future, and our representation in government.

Participating in the census is fast, easy, and safe. If you need assistance, there are people ready to help, including support in over 40 languages. Find help here.

Be counted today, and complete the census online, by phone, or by mail. Find more information at Oregon2020Census.gov or 2020Census.gov.

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Tenant-Landlord Assistance 

When the Governor implemented the necessary but difficult Stay Home, Save Lives orders, I worried about people having access to safe, consistent shelter. My concerns only increase with each passing month. For the houseless population, for survivors of domestic violence, for people without a paycheck and waiting on their long overdue unemployment benefits, the immense stress about securing or maintaining a roof over one’s head is ever-present.

Back in the first special session of 2020, we took some action to address this issue by passing a temporary ban on residential and commercial evictions, extending the Governor’s moratorium until September 30, 2020. We also passed some foreclosure protections. With the state of our economy, our unemployment system, and the pandemic, there is no way families will be able to pay rent when the moratorium ends next month. Access to housing is a public health issue, and I am committed to working with stakeholders to find a solution to ensure Oregonians do not lose the roofs over their heads.

In the meantime, it is important that you know your rights and the resources available to you. The Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Oregon Law Center created the following step-by-step guide to help explain the residential eviction moratorium and tenants’ rights. Translated versions of this guidance can be found here.

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STEP 1: Know Your Rights The Oregon Legislature passed a law so landlords in Oregon can’t do the following until October 1st:

  1. Give a notice of termination for nonpayment of rent or fees due between April 1 and September 30;
  2. Give a notice of termination without cause;
  3. Report unpaid rent or fees to credit agencies; or
  4. Charge fees for late rent.

After the eviction moratorium ends on October 1, renters have until March 31, 2021 to catch up on any rent payments they missed between April and October 2020. But landlords can give notices of termination or file evictions for other reasons, both during and after the moratorium. Get more information at OregonLawHelp.org.

STEP 2: Write to Your Landlord If you think you might struggle to pay rent, tell your landlord in writing and save a copy. Many programs assist renters prior to falling behind or help renters get caught up on rent. Ask for help right away.

STEP 3: CALL 2-1-1 or Visit 211.info.org Contact the Community Action Agency (CAA) near you. You may qualify for help with rent, energy, and more. CAAs provide information for free. Due to the large number of requests, there may be a waiting period to qualify for and/or get assistance.

STEP 4: Gather Information In addition to state and federal assistance, some local programs, non-profits, or religious organizations might be able to help. Also, you may be able to set up a partial payment plan with your landlord. This option is voluntary but could help reduce the back rent that you owe at the end of the grace period (March 2021). Information is changing rapidly, so continue to look for news from the Governor’s office, state agencies, and trusted organizations.

STEP 5: Get Ready If you don’t pay October’s rent, your landlord can give you a notice of termination for nonpayment of October’s rent, and then file for eviction if you don’t pay your rent. You may also get a notice from your landlord requiring you to tell them within 14 days if you plan to use the six-month grace period to pay back any outstanding rent. You must respond and tell your landlord if you plan to use the grace period. (It’s best to respond in writing, and to keep a copy.)

The Oregon Law Center and the Community Alliance of Tenants have sample letters you can use to let your landlord know that you plan to use the grace period. If you don’t tell your landlord, they can charge a penalty of half of one month’s rent, after March 31, 2020. Remember, you have to catch up on any rent you didn’t pay between April and October 2020 by March 31, 2021.

This information can be complex. Please visit The Oregon Law Center and the Community Alliance of Tenants websites for more in-depth information.

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This is also a challenging time for landlords, and information is available from the Oregon State Bar along with the following landlord associations:

Oregon Employment Department (OED) 

PUA Gross Earnings Definition 

Under new guidance from the Department of Labor, OED set a new definition of “gross earnings” for weekly Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims for self-employed Oregonians. 

Under the new definition, some PUA self-employed claimants who previously reported too much in gross receipts to qualify for benefits could now receive some additional weeks of benefits. This also applies to self-employed claimants who received a reduced benefit amount.

 OED will use this definition going forward, and it will also be applied retroactively. This means:

  • Some self-employed PUA claimants could receive benefits or higher payments for weeks they already claimed. 
  • Updated claims resulting in new weeks of PUA benefits will also receive the $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) for eligible weeks between March 29 and July 25, 2020.

Self-employed PUA claimants who wish to request a higher weekly benefit payment may report up to 20 weeks of updated “gross earnings” by visiting the PUA Updated Gross Earnings page on Unemployment.Oregon.Gov. OED informed us that it will take up to six weeks to complete the “gross earnings” review. The department will notify claimants via email when their review is complete. If claimants qualify for any adjustments, they should receive their payments within one week of the completion of the review. Please note, self-employed PUA claimants who received the full benefit amount do not need to update their gross earnings for those weeks.

Last week’s OED webinar focused on the changes to the definition of gross earnings. You can watch this clip that explains the new form here, or watch the entire webinar here

Finally, OED informed us that if you have the following needs, utilizing their new Contact us Form is a faster way for the department to provide you with assistance:

  • Weekly payment or missing payment
  • PIN Reset
  • Restart
  • Extended benefits - PEUC or EB
  • Error on claim
  • Report Identify Theft
  • Hasn’t filed, or not sure if they should file or not.

That said, please still feel free to contact my office, because I know the constant changes and updates at OED are a lot to follow. My team and I are more than happy to answer questions and assist you as best we can.

New Statewide Face Covering Guidance

Last week, Governor Brown and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued revised guidance requiring face coverings or face shields for employees in private office spaces, in addition to public office spaces. You can read this new guidance here.

Back to College Q&A

The Deputy State Health Officer for the Oregon Health Authority, Dr. Tom Jeanne, and the Executive Director of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, Ben Cannon hosted a conversation about what to expect at Oregon colleges and universities this year. You can watch their talk and Q&A here.

ODOT is considering toll options to improve I-205: Have your say!

ODOT is conducting the federally-required environmental review process for the I-205 Toll Project to examine different alternatives to address identified problems, needs and goals. The I-205 Toll Project would toll all lanes of I-205 on or near the Abernethy Bridge to both raise revenue for planned seismic upgrades and transportation improvements and manage congestion on the section of highway between Stafford Road and OR 213.

ODOT is now collecting public comments through September 16, 2020.  During that time, ODOT is hosting events where you can ask questions, offer feedback, and learn about the project. You are invited to participate in the any of the following ways:

Visit ODOT's online engagement site

Take (and share) the online survey

Join a webinar:

Send the project an email: oregontolling@odot.state.or.us

Leave a voicemail: 503-837-3536

Finally, you can visit OregonTolling.org to learn more.  Your feedback will help ODOT determine which toll alternatives to study in the next steps of the I-205 Toll Project environmental review process.

 

email: Rep.AndreaSalinas@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1438
address: 900 Court St NE, H-485, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/salinas