As Federal eviction moratorium expires, Multnomah County renters prepare for displacement

Thousands of tenants are at risk of becoming homeless in a region that's already struggling to manage its homeless population.

Photo courtesy of Multnomah County

The federal eviction moratorium has expired, and that means big trouble for many renters right here in Portland and Multnomah County.

The moratorium, which was enacted on the federal level as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response, stipulated that renters who could not pay their rent due to the pandemic could not be evicted. While there's some hope that Congress will act to extend the moratorium, any action will only forestall the inevitable crisis that will likely result in thousands more county residents being forced into homelessness.

In a place like Portland where the streets are filled with people camping or living in their cars, news that homelessness will likely get much worse very quickly is terrible news.

The expiration of the eviction moratorium is even more troubling considering the number of renters who are behind on their rent. Despite multiple state and local efforts to provide rent assistance to renters who are underwater, a report published in early July by Surgo Ventures shows that just under 18,000 renters in Multnomah County are behind on their rent payments. That represents just about 11.9% of all renters in the county.

Looking at eviction potential nationwide, the Surgo Ventures study called the expiration of the national eviction moratorium "a ticking time bomb" noting that nationwide some 6 million tenants are behind on their rent, owing an estimated $23 billion.

Photo by Luke van Zyl on Unsplash

While the moratorium created some breathing room for renters, they still were accumulating debt during the moratorium and now that debt is coming due. Landlords who rely on rental income to make a living are faced with tens of thousands of dollars of unpaid rent, much of which will likely not be paid back.

The report also states that renters in Multnomah County owe an estimated $76,073,594 in back rent, with an average past due balance of $4,257 per household.

While there has been both state and local funding set aside to help struggling renters, many frustrated tenants have reported that finding funds can be challenging. Some funds were targeted towards communities that would be disproportionately impacted by evictions, such as the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) community, while other funds went to local nonprofits who targeted the funds to people they already had established relationships with.

This echoes what the Surgo Ventures analysis found on a national level. The report authors noted:

People are struggling. We've known this was an issue for a long time and it's been a time bomb ticking. It's disappointing how little of these funds have actually reached people."

In response to frustrated renters looking for help, the Oregon state legislature passed SB 278 which offers sixty days of protection from eviction to tenants who can prove to their landlord that they have applied for rent assistance. Last week the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance to extend that protection to ninety days for renters within the County's jurisdiction.

Multnomah County Board of CommissionersPhoto courtesy of Multnomah County

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury explained the County's extension efforts:

Extending SB 278’s protections by another 30 days will help ensure Multnomah County and our partners have enough time to process applications, and help people get current on their rent and regain stability. We have reorganized and expanded our systems in preparation for the challenge. Still, the unprecedented scale of need, and the resources to meet it, far exceed those of other counties across the state, and the extra time will be vital to getting people the help they need.”

The process of applying for assistance can be difficult. Many renters in the state have never had to ask for benefits before, and have struggled with documentation requirements. Nonprofits and government agencies administering the funds are also struggling with unprecedented labor shortages.

Statewide figures show about 15,000 renters have applied for help so far, about two-thirds of those applications have come from residents of Multnomah County. Multnomah County also reported that between the County and the City of Portland, over the past year they have helped more than ten times more tenants through short-term rent support than they did in previous years.

Photo courtesy of Multnomah County

Evictions have long-reaching impacts, staying on rental records and credit reports for seven years. Tenants who are behind on their rent are urged to be proactive by talking to their landlords about their situations and applying for assistance. Statewide assistance is available through the Oregon Emergency Rent Assistance Program and local city and county funds can be accessed by calling 2-1-1 or visiting the 211info website.

#portland #multnomah #oregon #eviction #renters #pandemic

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