Resources and Support

Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 10/15/2020 06:59 PM PDT

October 15, 2020

Hello Friends,

We can feel and see the changing season - cooler mornings and shorter days. The change in weather has brought with it much relief for the fires still burning. At the end of this newsletter there are a few links with information pertaining to wildfire clean-up, disaster assistance, and voting that may be of help to those who have been directly affected by this year’s wildfires.

Revised and updated COVID19 guidelines for businesses will soon be released. You can visit this website and check to see if your business / industry sector has been revised. They are now all dated so as not to cause confusion.

My advocacy to the Governor on easing of restrictions, and lowering of metrics for all things COVID19 related continues. Six months into this pandemic I believe we have found ways to make certain settings, such as childcare and gyms work. We know the populations at greatest risk for contracting and struggling with this disease, and the underlying conditions that cause the greatest complications. Risk is inherent and our continued isolation will only increase the risk for a life time of mental and physical health complications for our current youth.

If we can be of help to you as you navigate your state government please call or email. My door is always open and my staff, Pam McClain, Lena Prine, and I welcome your participation. As your state representative, I am here to listen, respond, and lead. Please be safe.

All my best, rmg

Raquel Moore-Green
Representative House District 19 serving South Salem, Turner and Aumsville

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1419
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-385, Salem, OR 97301
Facebook @reprmghd19 | Email: Rep.RaquelMooreGreen@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/moore-green

Submit your forms for free removal of household hazardous waste from burned properties

Right of Entry forms due Oct. 16

(Salem, OR) –To allow cleanup teams to begin removal of hazardous materials from burned properties, county officials and Oregon’s Debris Management Task Force are urging residents to submit access agreements, called Right of Entry forms. Removal of hazardous waste is the first step in the wildfire cleanup process and available at no cost to property owners.

Prioritized due to the immediate threat to health, safety and the environment, hazardous waste cleanup is funded by the State of Oregon and FEMA in Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn and Marion counties. Each of these counties have begun collecting Right of Entry forms. Right of Entry forms are due to counties by October 16, and must be signed before free hazardous waste removal can occur. These are simple forms that require only your name, address and insurance information if you have insurance.

Links to each county’s Right of Entry fillable and/or printable form are available at wildfire.oregon.gov/cleanup. There is also a Right of Entry helpline with assistance available in English and Spanish at 1-682-800-5737.

The second step in cleanup is ash and debris removal. After this step is complete, property owners will be able to begin rebuilding. State, county and federal partners are developing funding and implementation options for Step 2: Ash and debris removal.

The State of Oregon’s Debris Management Task Force consists of the Office of Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and is overseeing a coordinated effort by federal, state and local government agencies to address hazardous waste and debris removal.

WILDFIRE CLEANUP AND INSURANCE

The state will not recoup money from your insurance that could have otherwise gone to rebuilding your home. Residents have shared concerns that signing a Right of Entry for hazardous waste removal will allow the state to take money from property owners’ insurance. This is not true.

Household hazardous waste and debris removal can cost $75,000 or more. If you choose to complete cleanup yourself, the cost may take away from funds that could otherwise go towards rebuilding your home.

BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL FRAUD REGARDING DEBRIS REMOVAL

Unfortunately, disaster provides opportunity for those seeking to take advantage of vulnerable populations via scams and fraud.

Be skeptical of anyone promising immediate cleanup and debris removal, and be wary of people who quote outrageous prices or demand payment upfront.

Research contractors, verify they have an active license and check their complaint history through the Construction Contractors Board at ccb.state.or.us/search. Never pay by wire transfer, gift card, cash, or by signing over an insurance check. And never make the final payment until the work is done.

Don't give into pressure from your insurance company to settle. Call the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation at 1-888-877-4894 or visit dfr.oregon.gov for information. These resources are here to help protect you and your family.

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR PROPERTY OWNERS

Next steps for people whose homes or businesses burned: https://wildfire.oregon.gov/cleanup
County wildfire websites with ROE forms for Marion County
EPA wildfire response: https://response.epa.gov/2020ORwildfireresponse
How to safely manage ash and debris: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/wildfires/Pages/After-the-Fire.aspx
Insurance issues and questions: https://dfr.oregon.gov/insure/home/storm/Pages/wildfires.aspx

DISPLACED VOTER FAQ'S

How can I receive my ballot if I have been displaced by wildfires?

Ballots will begin being mailed October 14th. If you know an address where you will be able to receive mail then, you can add a temporary mailing address at oregonvotes.gov/myvote.
If you want to use a paper form to provide a temporary address Download the Absentee Ballot Request Form here.
You can pick up all of your mail (including ballots once they are mailed) at the post office that serves your permanent residence address.
Contact your county election office after October 1st for additional options they may have for pickup. Find yours here: https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Pages/countyofficials.aspx

If I submit a change of address through USPS will my ballot be forwarded to the new address?

Ballots are not forwardable. It is one of the security features of our system. You must inform election officials of your temporary address using one of the methods above in order to have your ballot sent there.

Do I need to register to vote from my temporary address?

You do not need to re-register to vote if you are living somewhere temporarily because you have been displaced by wildfires. You just need to let election officials know where to mail your ballot by one of the methods above.

Will I be able to vote on the local measures where my permanent address is located even if I am temporarily living outside that area?

YES. The ballot you receive will contain the contests for your residential address, not your temporary mailing address.

What if my mailbox was destroyed?

If mail cannot be delivered to your home or mailbox, it will be held at your local post office and you can pick it up there

TAX ASSESSMENT FOR DAMAGED OR DESTROYED PROPERTY

If your home or property was damaged or destroyed in the wildfires, you can find tax assessment information on Clackamas County's website here.

A full FAQ sheet from the Oregon Department of Revenue is also available for your reference here.

Where do I get an application and with whom do I file it?

Applications are available at www.oregon.gov/dor or at each county tax collector’s office. In some counties, applications may also be available in the assessor’s office. File your application with the county tax collector. The tax collector consults with the assessment staff to determine whether or not the property has been damaged or destroyed and how much value was lost.

Update Information with FEMA to Avoid Delays

Apply for FEMA Assistance online Registration is open for those affected by wildfires in Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, and Marion Counties. Register by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or using the FEMA app.

FEMA Flyer – Information on how survivors of the Oregon wildfires can apply for FEMA assistance (English and Spanish versions)
FEMA Infographic – Start Your Recovery Process

Oregon homeowners and renters who registered for FEMA disaster assistance for help after wildfires should stay in touch with FEMA to ensure the disaster assistance process stays on track.

Going online at DisasterAssistance.gov
Downloading the FEMA app
Calling 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Disaster survivors who are deaf, have a speech or hearing disability and use TTY may call 800-462-7585.
Disaster survivors who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) may call 800-621-3362.

FEMA Appeal Process

There are reports of residents who have been denied FEMA benefits. If you are denied – do not give up. Many applicants file two or more times before receiving benefits. This fact sheet from FEMA can help you understand the reasons you may have been denied and how to appeal.

Lost Wages Assistance

The Oregon Employment Department has begun issuing Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) payments to qualifying Oregonians who received PUA benefits or self-certified that they received unemployment benefits for COVID-19-related reasons.

LWA is a temporary emergency measure funded by FEMA that gives an additional $300 per week to people out of work due to COVID-19 and who receive unemployment benefits.

If you self-certified your eligibility for LWA, you will receive individual $300 payments for each week you are eligible for, via your current method of payment. If you receive electronic deposit (direct deposit or ReliaCard), you should see funds in your account within three business days.

If you have not yet certified but think you are eligible for LWA, certify using the Online Claim System before it’s too late! There is no cut-off date for self-certification, but since funds are limited we encourage claimants who have not certified yet to do so immediately.

You automatically qualified for LWA if you:

Received unemployment benefits from July 26, 2020, through September 5, 2020; and
Either received PUA benefits during that time or self-certified you were unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.

Individuals receiving regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Extended Benefits (EB) are required to self-certify for LWA. Individuals receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) do not need to certify because they certified when first applying for PUA benefits. For step-by-step instructions on how to self-certify, visit https://unemployment.oregon.gov/workers/step-by-step-guides.

LWA was retroactive to eligible claimants for weeks ending:

August 1, 2020
August 8, 2020
August 15, 2020
August 22, 2020
August 29, 2020
September 5, 2020

Oregon’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI)

The Oregon Employment Department is launching a series of virtual town hall meetings to gather public input on the implementation of Oregon’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) program.

View the town hall schedule: You can view the full Town Hall schedule at the Employment Department’s PFMLI Website.
Register for a town hall:Make sure to register in advance for the Town Hall of your choosing.
Invite your constituents:We will be notifying the public about the town halls, but please share a link to the Town Hall Registration page in your upcoming newsletter, or share an upcoming post from the Employment Department on social media.
Other ways to stay connected:Sign up for email updates from the PFMLI program, or join a monthly advisory committee meeting.

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