March 8, 2022 3:00 a.m.

On Monday, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden announced that April rent for 2020 fire survivors who are living in Federal Emergency Management Agency temporary direct housing will not be due until May 1st, and will be lower than market rate for some families.

The announcement came after Wyden met with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

Wyden said, “For Oregonians needing FEMA housing, the flames of the 2020 fires have been extinguished, but the road to recovery after the devastating fire remains a long and winding challenge”. Wyden said he made it very clear in the meeting that fire survivors in Oregon need the proper time and support to afford their stay in temporary housing. Wyden said, “I will continue to hold FEMA accountable to its commitment to a proactive rent adjustment, prompt communication with state and local partners, as well as accessible outreach in multilingual families”.

A release said in February, FEMA sent letters to survivors of the 2020 fires who are in direct temporary housing, notifying occupants of the transition to pay “market rate” to continue staying in the FEMA trailers, starting April 1st. Survivors, mostly low-income, have not paid rent to FEMA since they moved in.

Following Wyden’s call with Administrator Criswell, FEMA confirmed the announcement that market-rate rent will be due April 1st, was an error. Rent will not be due until May 1st. The release said FEMA spent this past weekend ensuring that affected families know about the update and the process to have their rent adjusted on the basis of post-disaster income and expenses.

Wyden said FEMA also committed to provide enough caseworkers on the ground in Oregon to work with each and every family to support them through the rental adjustment process, including the continuation of multilingual resources.