Tenants In Trouble, Getting Ready for Oregon Special Session

People are getting their strategy ready for Governor Kate Brown’s special session, to try to prevent renters from being evicted from their homes in Oregon.

Jaime Carlton is a member of the Community Alliance of Tenants, saying it’s vital to speak up now. She and others at an emergency meeting said they are reaching out to lawmakers, as thousand of tenants are at risk of eviction because of holdups in promised rent aid.  “I know what it’s like to be homeless,” she said.

Many at the meeting said they feel they’re in danger. They fear losing their homes, and their rights.

Oregon State Representatives Kayse Jama and Julie Fahey say they’ve come up with a plan to keep people housed during the holiday season, and pay landlords in full, too. They would extend the eviction safe harbor period beyond its current sixty days and pump in an additional $200 million dollars in state funding for both tenants and landlords.  They estimate more than ten thousand Oregon families could lose their homes, because of delays in processing their applications for assistance.  Governor Kate Brown’s called a special legislative session on the issue for December 13th.