Important Information
about Portal Closure

How can I find help once the portal has closed?

If you have a partial application in the system, you can finish it. Please complete your application before 11:59 p.m. PST on March 28. We will not accept applications after March 28, so it is important to finalize it before then. New applications cannot be submitted after 11:59 p.m. PST on March 21.

I applied for rental assistance, when will I know if I will receive help?

Households with the most need will have priority in accessing these resources, they are not distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot guarantee a timeframe for application review and processing. Applications are not guaranteed for payment and are subject to prioritization scoring and funds remaining when the application is finalized and approved.

Can I still finish my application if I did not submit it by March 21?

Oregonians in need of support can call 211 to be connected with services and support. You can also find a list of Community Action Agencies by county here.

Will more funding be available in the future through this program?

We understand there is still a need for help paying rent but are not aware of any future OERAP funds being directed to this program. Local assistance is available. Please contact 211 to be connected to resources in your area.

If funding becomes available, will you accept new applications?

If there is an opportunity to reopen the program, OHCS will consider this option.

Do safe harbor protections still apply?

All safe harbor protections expire on Sept. 30, 2022. To be protected, tenants must apply for rental assistance and show proof that they have applied to their landlord by June 30, 2022, or at or before any first court appearance, whichever is sooner. Learn more about safe harbor.

About the Program

If I submitted an application, will I definitely receive assistance?

Everyone who applies will have their application reviewed, but funding is not guaranteed and is not first-come-first-served. It will be distributed based on need. For more information about how applications are prioritized, see the Prioritization Information page.

If I receive assistance, do I have to pay it back?

No. This assistance is not a loan and does not have to be paid back by the tenant if the funds are used as approved and do not duplicate other assistance programs.

If I receive assistance will my other benefits like food stamps and housing assistance be impacted?

No. If you receive this assistance, it will not impact your eligibility for any federally funded program such as SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, social security, WIC or public housing.

If your landlord won’t take payment directly, we may offer the funds directly to you to pay overdue rent. Those funds would not be considered income for federal tax purposes and would not impact your eligibility for federally funded programs. If you receive a benefit that is not federally funded, please check with the benefit administrator.

What costs will be covered?

You may request rent assistance back to March 13, 2020. Prior past due rent is not eligible. The Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program will cover up to 12 months of past-due rent and three months of fouture rent.

Is there a maximum amount of how much assistance is allowed?

No, there is generally no cap on the dollar amount of rent assistance. However, there is a limit on the total number of months of assistance that can be received. The program can provide twelve months of assistance, starting from March 13, 2020 – present, with the possibility to pay future rent for three months. Additional limits may be imposed depending on the availability of resources.

Can I request more than one month of assistance?

Yes. Approved applicants may be eligible for twelve months of assistance, starting from March 13, 2020, with the possibility to pay future rent for three months. You are encouraged to request three future months of rent coverage when you apply for past rent if you expect to be living in that unit in the future. You may need to provide additional information to confirm that you are still eligible for assistance and assistance depends on available resources.

Can the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program cover late fees?

Yes. Some late fees can be covered and should be listed on a rent statement or ledger from your landlord.

What fees are covered?

Assistance will cover fees that are directly tied to your housing stability and that are charged by the landlord. Examples include:

• pet fees
• parking garage fees
• storage fees
• amenities fees

You can also include relocation expenses, which may include rental security deposits, and application or screening fees if a household has been temporarily displaced due to COVID-19. Hotel and motel costs are not covered.

Is there a waitlist?

There is no waitlist. We want to ensure that any applications received are able to be paid, and cannot guarantee the funding will cover all applicants.

How do I know if the email I received is from a legitimate source?

It’s important to be aware of scammers who may try to steal your information. To ensure the information you receive is accurate and complete, double-check that the organization is a reputable governmental, tribal or nonprofit partner. The best way to stay informed is to log into the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program application portal and check your application status. Learn more about how to avoid scammers.

Important Information about Limited Reopening 

Important Information about Expected Processing and Payment Wait Times During Limited Reopening 

SB 891 directs OHCS to first process applications received before the Dec. 1, 2021 pause. Applications received on or after Jan. 26, 2022, will be processed after those applications are processed. Tenants who complete an application may receive safe harbor protections that prevent landlords from evicting tenants until their application is processed. However, those tenants should expect a delay prior to processing and payment. Households with the most need will have priority in accessing these resources, not on a first-come, first-served basis. Processing on the new pool of applicants will not begin immediately. Additionally, applications received on or after Jan. 26, 2022, will be paid based on remaining funding available and are not guaranteed. Applications still awaiting landlord/tenant response at the time of closure are subject to funds remaining when application is finalized and approved, and prioritization scoring is applied and are not guaranteed for payment. 

Paper Application Support

Community Action Agencies are continuing to serve as a resource for paper application support. If you need a paper application, would like help completing your application or would like to drop off your application contact the CAA in your community. You can also mail your application directly to your local CAA for them to upload and submit. In the event the portal closes, paper applications will be honored based on their postmark date. Applications are available in multiple languages.  

OERAP Applicant Call Center  

OERAP is pleased to announce the launch of an applicant call center available to tenants who have successfully completed an application and received a tenant protection letter with an application number. Applicants with general questions about the program or questions about utility assistance should continue to call 211 to be connected to wrap around services and supports. Tenants or landlords inquiring about a specific application submitted prior to December 1 should call the phone support team during regular business hours: 844-378-2931.  Please have your application number handy so that customer support staff can look into your file. Applications received during 2022 will not be processed until the prior applications are processed as per new legislation outlined in SB 891. Did you know you can check the status of your application online and read answers to many of the most frequent questions? Visit  https://www.oregonrentalassistance.org/ to learn more. 

Important information about Portal reopening

Did the application process change after the portal pause?

The requirements for documentation and eligibility rules, however, remain the same. Several system improvements have been implemented based on valuable feedback from community partners. Those improvements include a streamlined and simplified application complete with plain language review, updated support features along with specialized application submission assistance. The OERAP program staff appreciates the time and energy that partners spent in providing feedback to make the application process and payment system easier and more accessible to renters, community partners and landlords.  

Expanded Eviction Protections 

As a result of Senate Bill 891, passed in December 2021 by the Oregon State Legislature, tenants who apply for OERAP cannot be evicted while their application is pending. They must show their landlord proof they applied for the protections to begin. Please visit the Oregon Law Center website to find out more information about recent changes, timelines and how to access these protections.  

Important Update About Utilities  

With the concurrent deployment of Emergency Rental Assistance dollars (ERA 1, ERA 2 and ERA 3), OERAP recently made the difficult decision not to continue covering tenant utility bills. This change will allow the state to stretch the limited emergency rental assistance dollars further to cover more applicants and keep families in their homes. Oregon has ample utility assistance available that renters and homeowners can access to cover their utility bills. Renters can learn more about where to access utilities in their local communities by reaching out to their Community Action Agency, calling 2-1-1, or visiting www.oregonrentalassistance.org/additional-assistance. 

Important Clarification around Recertification/Reapplication  

The portal will open on Jan. 26 to first-time applicants. OERAP is focused solely on households that have yet to be served by the statewide program. In order to serve the most households, the program will not be offering recertification. Other programs may be available at the local level. For applicants who need additional assistance on top of the assistance they’ve already received, call 2-1-1 or a local Community Action Agency. Applicants cannot request coverage for the same months of coverage.