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August 2021
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
A few weeks ago I spent a morning with a group of biologists and wildlife experts clambering around the I-5 summit. Our mission was to identify culverts or good spots for overhead passage that could enable the creatures that roam our mountains to move from the Siskiyou ridge to habitat on the east side of the freeway—or vice versa. It was exhilarating to be out in the woods, and inspiring to be with a group that could get so excited about the potential in an overgrown culvert.
This has been an unsettling summer for many of us. Concerns over wildfire, persistent drought, smoky skies, climate tumult and resurging COVID-19 cases have fueled anxiety and sapped some of the joy from the season. Still, when I look around, I see strong evidence of renewal and hope. New homes are emerging in the Almeda wildfire scar. In Phoenix, a new, beautiful high school awaits students. In multiple communities across the valley, volunteers have stepped up to open cooling centers to provide respite on these hot days. Talent Maker City spent the summer teaching hands-on skills like welding to a new generation of young people, and KidTime is building a new and expanded children’s museum that will serve families for decades to come. Forest resilience projects are being planned and implemented across the valley to restore ecosystems and reduce fuels. Up on the ridge, biologists are plotting ways to minimize collisions between wildlife and cars.
At the state level, I co-sponsored House Bill 2021, the 100% Clean bill, which will guide our electric utilities toward zero-emissions operation by 2040. Electricity production currently comprises about a quarter of our statewide contribution to global warming. I hope you will share your ideas and concerns as we now shift our focus to clean buildings, transportation and industry.
There is no denying that we have real challenges ahead, and the past year has demonstrated that life can be unpredictable. But even in the middle of a smoky summer, it is clear that our community is chockfull of energetic, creative and compassionate people. There is no question in my mind that we are equipped to address the confounding issues in front of us.
I hope you will join me in upcoming discussions about those issues, including wildfire recovery, pandemic response, housing supply, water shortages, hemp, climate change, and anything else that is on your mind. The August 31 Town Hall (details below) will give us a chance to discuss the 2021 legislative session. And on September 14 we will bring community leaders together to review the status of recovery and the work still ahead one year after the devastating Almeda fire.
As always, heartfelt thanks for sharing your feedback, concerns, ideas and inspirations. I am deeply grateful for your partnership.
Best,
 State Representative
Oregon House District 5 - Southern Jackson County
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Since we still can't meet in person, let's gather online! Join me on Tuesday, August 31, 4-5:30 PM for a virtual town hall. I'll discuss outcomes from the 2021 legislation issues and address issues that are impacting our district, including wildfire recovery, COVID-19 response, drought and illegal hemp/cannabis grows. We will have plenty of time for questions. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
Use this link to attend.
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Deadline & Decisions
at the 1-year Anniversary
Thursday, Aug 26, 4 PM
Wildfire anniversaries involve emotions and decisions. In this free, virtual event, a panel of experts will explain insurance and legal deadlines and other considerations. United Policyholders, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, is providing guidance and support for wildfire survivors across Oregon, including the Almeda and Obenchain fires.
Register HERE
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Select fire survivor events hosted by United Policyholders are available online:
None of us will ever forget the devastating losses caused by the Almeda fire. One year later, the community has begun to rebound. Still, although we’ve dipped a toe into recovery, much more work lies ahead. As we approach the one-year marker, we need to take stock, to acknowledge the work that’s happened, and to make sure we understand what’s yet to come.
Tuesday, September 14; 6:30-8:00 PM, “Our Path to Recovery: A Report from District 5,” will provide residents with an account of our progress. Community partners, including the cities of Talent and Phoenix, the Talent-Phoenix School District, the Long Term Recovery Group, the housing community, and others will share their perspectives on the past year as well as plans for the next phase of rebuilding and response.
Please join us for this important community report.
Use this link to attend.
High transmissibility of the COVID-19 Delta variant, paired with low vaccination rates in Jackson and Josephine Counties, has resulted in skyrocketing hospital admissions in our local hospitals. On Thursday, August 19, Asante had 162 hospital admissions due to COVID. As a result, the hospitals have been forced to reschedule hundreds of other patients and to refuse transfers from outlying facilities.
Ninety percent of COVID-19 patients at Asante are unvaccinated. The good news is that we have clear evidence that the vaccine works. Breakthrough cases occur in very few fully vaccinated people and the vaccine minimizes the severity of symptoms in those who do contract the virus. But make no mistake—our health care system is in a crisis that will not abate until the number of cases begins to ease.
The local legislative delegation is working to identify strategies to help hospitals cope with tremendous stress on the system. In the meantime, please wear a mask and reduce your exposure. And if you are not yet vaccinated, don’t wait. Use this directory to find a vaccine clinic, https://govstatus.egov.com/find-covid-19-vaccine. If you will will not get vaccinated, then please—stay home!
This summer I have heard from many of you concerned about water theft from irrigation ditches, streams and rivers, and the proliferation of illegal hemp and cannabis farms. We are working on multiple policy solutions, including regulatory changes and enforcement resources. In the meantime, here’s how you can report suspected illegal behavior:
Water misuse and theft:
Report unauthorized use of water and water theft to the watermaster for your region. In Jackson County, we can report water law violations through this digital form. If you are not able to use this online format, call the Jackson County Watermaster’s office at 541-774-6880.
Illegal activity at cannabis/hemp grows:
If you suspect illegal activity at a grow site, email Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler or call the non-emergency dispatch number, 541-776-7208, to report the location. The information will be forwarded to the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) to research and investigate the location if warranted.
Code Enforcement at cannabis and hemp grows:
Violations of county ordinance, such as building, mechanical, electrical permit issues, or not having land use approval (note that hemp grows do not require a land use approval), can be reported to Jackson County Code Enforcement at 541-774-6906 or online at How To File A Complaint - Code Enforcement. If you see contractors doing work that you suspect is illegal, particularly electrical or mechanical, please take note of the contractors and include that info in the report.
Redistricting is the once-a-decade process of redrawing United State House of Representatives (Congressional) and Oregon State Senate and State House of Representatives (Legislative) district boundaries to account for changes in population.
The U.S. government is constitutionally obligated to conduct a total count of every person in the country every ten years. Depending on the growth or decline in population, both state and congressional districts are adjusted to make sure they remain balanced in size. Because the state has grown, this year Oregon will go from five to six members in the U.S. House.
Redistricting can impact allocation of resources for schools, healthcare, transportation, housing, emergency services, and broadband deployment. It is critical to have input from residents about how district lines should be drawn to ensure fair representation for every Oregonian.
Testify and make your voice heard:
Oregon’s redistricting process is being conducted by a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators that will draft new district maps for consideration by the full legislature. In early September the Redistricting Committee will be traveling throughout the state to hold public hearings and collect input on the draft plans. The committee is currently planning an in-person hearing in Medford on September 9 at 10:30 AM. This plan is subject to change depending on COVID-19 numbers, but whether it is in-person or through virtual means, the committee wants your input!
Map line criteria and rules for drawing maps: Legislators cannot draw district boundaries on a whim. Instead, these specific criteria must be met and will be legally upheld:
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Contiguity: Districts should be physically adjacent; meaning parts of a district should be connected at some point with the rest of the district.
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Compactness: Constituents within a district should live as near to one another as practicable.
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Communities of interest: Maps should keep communities of interest together. This is defined as a "group of people in a geographical area, such as a specific region or neighborhood, who have common political, social or economic interests."
Visit the redistricting website to learn more about the process, use software to draw your own maps, and find out how to testify. The September calendar on the home page displays the tentative schedule for virtual and in-person hearings. Details about prospective hearings are still pending, but you can sign up for email updates through e-subscribe on the right hand side of the webpage.
The pandemic has destabilized many Oregon tenants—but help is available.
Qualified renters who have experienced financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic, and are at risk of homelessness or housing instability, may apply for the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP): https://www.oregonrentalassistance.org/
This program is not a loan, which means those who receive assistance will not have to pay back funds so long as they are used as approved and not duplicating other assistance programs. Assistance is offered to all eligible renters regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, and it will not impact the recipient’s eligibility for other federally funded programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, social security, WIC or public housing.
Renters who are eligible for the program may request rent and/or utility assistance dating back to March 13, 2020 (prior expenses are not eligible).
OERAP will cover up to 12 months of past due rent and three months of forward rent, once all past due rent is paid. The program will also cover past due utility costs including electricity, gas, home energy services, water, sewer, trash removal, internet and bulk fuels. Costs that will NOT be covered include: homeowner costs, homeowner utilities, landlord-paid utilities, landlord-paid property taxes, property insurance, phone, and renter insurance.
If approved, in most cases, payments will be made directly to the landlord, property owner or utility company on the tenant’s behalf via direct deposit or check. Program funds are not first-come-first-serve. Funds will be distributed based on a formula that prioritizes applications based on need. Everyone who turns in a completed application will have their application reviewed.
Renters who show their landlords evidence that they have applied for assistance will have a 60-day grace period while assistance is processed and a check is cut.
The application is available to all individuals living in Oregon, regardless of immigration status. Spanish speakers in need of assistance should contact the Oregon Human Development Corporation, or 855-215-6158.
If a tenant receives a notice of eviction for nonpayment, they should call 2-1-1 immediately to get directly connected to information and resources. Additional nonpayment of rent eviction information about legal protections are available at the Oregon Law Center website. Renters who have gotten court papers about an eviction can call the Eviction Defense Project line at 888-585-9638 or email EvictionDefense@oregonlawcenter.org.
Our goal is to stabilize the rental market by ensuring that tenants in need have support. That's good for renter and it's also good for landlords.
If you need help—apply now!
Oregon’s residential mortgage foreclosure moratorium, which prevents Oregonians who own their homes from losing their homes to foreclosure if they have lost income and been unable to pay their mortgage during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been extended until December 31, 2021. House Bill 2009 authorized the governor to extend the mortgage foreclosure moratorium period for two successive three-month periods beyond June 30. The Governor previously issued Executive Order 21-14, extending the moratorium until September 30, 2021. The extension until December 31 is the last extension allowed under House Bill 2009.
Extending the foreclosure moratorium also provides relief to mortgagors that are leasing property to residential tenants, allowing landlords needed flexibility to continue to work with tenants who are struggling to pay rent. These protections are necessary as Oregon continues to deploy federal financial relief both for Oregonians who rent and for Oregonians who own their homes, including the Emergency Rental Assistance program and the Homeownership Assistance Fund, both of which are in the initial stages of deployment.
Oregonians who have fallen behind on their mortgages during the pandemic are encouraged to contact a housing counselor in their community. Housing counselors are knowledgeable, dedicated professionals who can help homeowners explore their best options for keeping their homes. A list of housing counselors in communities across Oregon is available here.
Follow along with legislative news and media coverage that I am involved with HERE.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1405
District Phone: 541-282-4516
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-375, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.PamMarsh@oregonlegislature.gov
Website and e-Subscribe: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/marsh
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