Safe Harbor eviction protection

Tenants must pay rent each month or risk eviction. SB 891 extends temporary “Safe Harbor” protections protecting renters from nonpayment eviction until a tenant’s rent assistance application is no longer pending. All safe harbor protections expire on Sept. 30, 2022. To be protected, tenants must have applied for emergency rent assistance and provided documentation to their landlord by June 30, 2022. You have the right to these protections regardless of your citizenship status.

If you applied for rent assistance before 11:59 PM on June 30, 2022:

You are protected from eviction for nonpayment of rent:

• If your application is pending with the rental assistance provider, AND
• You have provided your landlord documentation of your rental assistance application before 11:59 PM on June 30, 2022.

If you submitted your application but did not provide documentation to your landlord before 11:59 PM on June 30, 2022, you should provide documentation as soon as possible, but you do not qualify for SB 891 eviction protections.

If you receive a court summons about an eviction case, call the Eviction Defense Project as soon as possible at (888) 585-9638 or email evictiondefense@oregonlawcenter.org.

If you applied for rent assistance after 11:59 PM on June 30, 2022:

While you do not qualify for SB 891 eviction protections, you should provide documentation showing that you applied for rent assistance to your landlord as soon as possible.

Do not miss an eviction court date, even if you believe your eviction should not be moving forward. If you do, it might affect your eviction protection.

If you receive a court summons about an eviction case, call the Eviction Defense Project as soon as possible at (888) 585-9638 or email evictiondefense@oregonlawcenter.org.

Documentation can be:

• a copy of the application receipt email, a screenshot, or other written or electronic documentation verifying the submission of an application
• printed or sent by email or text message

Once a tenant has given their landlord documentation, the landlord may not issue a termination or eviction notice until the application has been closed, denied, or paid. If your application is closed, denied, or paid in an amount that is less than is owed, your landlord can move forward with the eviction process. Landlords must give ten days of notice of termination of tenancy for nonpayment until Sept. 30, 2022.

If you receive an eviction notice:

Landlords must give ten days of notice of termination of tenancy for nonpayment until Sept. 30, 2022. If you receive a 10-day notice for nonpayment:

• Apply for emergency rent assistance and provide documentation to your landlord.
• Call the Community Alliance of Tenants (503-288-0130), Springfield Eugene Tenant Association (541-972-3715) Hotlines, or their local legal aid office. (www.oregonlawhelp.org). 
• Contact the Eviction Defense Project for further legal support
• Contact 211 to find out if additional resources are available in your area.

If you have questions about eviction protections, please visit the Oregon Law Center’s website for updates at www.oregonlawhelp.org.