Renters and tenants in Oregon can have a huge breather as a new house bill has been passed that bans their eviction until July 2021. But there is a catch to it.
Both Renters and Tenants Located in Oregon Cannot Be Immediately Evicted Due To the New House Bill, But...
According to Willamette Week, the Legislature of Oregon has recently passed a new House Bill on December 21, 2020. The new bill, named House Bill 4401, is aimed at helping both renters and tenants that cannot pay their due rents and will be protected from eviction until July 2021. The bill will be funded by a $200 million fund, wherein $150 million of it is allocated for the landlord relief fund, while the remaining $50 million is used for rental assistance.
Once the bill has been fully implemented, landlords living and operating in Oregon cannot evict any renter or tenant from their property under any normal circumstances (unless for extreme ones) until July 2021. In regards to that new house bill, the Oregon Law Center has released a guideline for the said law. The said guideline shows both renters' and tenants' rights that are covered by the said bill.
However, those who want to be protected under the said house bill, renters, and tenants that aren't able to pay their dues after the 31st of December, 2020 must file a sworn declaration state as proof that they are unable to pay their dues. The said declaration will be proof of one's financial hardship, making them qualified for the said bill. If a tenant or renter has failed to provide the sworn declaration must pay all of their dues from April 2020 to December 2020. Payment for those months must be cleared by March 2021, according to the Oregon Law Center.
For a person to be eligible for the said bill, they must meet the following criteria:
- Having valid proof of loss of income.
- Proof for medical expenses.
- Proof of increased child care costs.
- Having other forms of financial barriers that affect their ability to pay.
However, not all landlords in Oregon are happy with this new house bill. Therefore, many are protesting against it.
Many Landlords to Sue Local Oregon Government Against Eviction Bans
According to OPB, three landlord individuals have filed a lawsuit against the new house bill. The said lawsuit was immediately filed mere hours after the new bill was passed by the Legislature of Oregon and the Oregon Law Center.
The three landlords stated that the law was unconstitutional, as they are claiming that the said house bill hinders legal contracts. While that is happening, they are also insisting that the government is "taking" their property in the process, while leaving them landlords without any form of compensation.
One of them even asks the court to file an injunction against the state, county, and city. Once done, the eviction of both tenants and renters without payment would be possible in order to combat the COVID-19 infection in their area and corresponding properties that their tenants and renters are using.
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