January 17, 2022 3:10 a.m.

Oregon Housing and Community Services will begin accepting new applications again for the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program starting on January 26th.

An OHCS release said the state paused accepting new applications in early December due to dwindling funding and the need to make system improvements. This will be a limited reopening for three to five weeks, depending on the availability of funds. The agency estimates to have sufficient funding to pay between 6,700-9,300 additional applications. Households with the most need will have priority in accessing resources, not a first-come, first-served basis. https://www.oregon.gov/ohcs/housing-assistance/Documents/04-30-2021-OERAP-Prioritization%20Information.pdf

The release said as directed by the Oregon State Legislature, OHCS is first processing applications received before the December 1st pause. Applications received on January 26th will be processed after applications received before December 1st. Tenants who apply on or after January 26th may receive safe harbor protections that prevent landlords for evicting tenants under their application is processed. However, those tenants should expect a delay prior to processing and payment.

OERAP continues to be one of the nation’s top-performing programs and is ranked sixth in the nation, in the percentage of federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds paid out and obligated, as tracked by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.

For more data, go to: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/oregon.housing.and.community.services/viz/OregonERAWeeklyReportDashboard/ExternalPaymentDashboard