Oregon Legislature OKs Aid for Renters, Refugees, Drought Relief

PORTLAND, OR — Imagine if every day that the Oregon legislature was in session was as productive as their one-day special session on Monday. In a span of hours, lawmakers passed a handful of bills that will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the state.

From protections for renters and aid for resettled Afghan refugees to money to help stem gun violence, lawmakers largely put partisanship aside for the day.

"I'd like to thank lawmakers from both sides of the aisle for taking immediate, bipartisan action to address this critical set of issues impacting Oregonians," Governor Brown said after the session. "I remain focused on working with agency directors to ensure relief reaches Oregonians as quickly as possible. Every Oregonian deserves a warm, safe, dry place to call home.

"I am committed to working to prevent evictions as we prepare for the transition to local eviction prevention services after federal pandemic emergency programs draw to an end."

A major portion of aid allocated Monday will go to rental assistance and housing.

Oregon has faced multiple problems getting emergency rental aid to people in danger of eviction, so much so that on December 1, the state had to put a pause on accepting applications for assistance.

Monday's actions will send $5 million to Oregon Housing and Community Services, the state agency running the assistance program, so they can upgrade systems allowing applications for help to be processed more quickly.

Another $200 million will go to rental assistance and eviction prevention.

The bills passed Monday also provides:

• $2 million to help stem the tide of gun violence in east Portland and Gresham;
• Nearly $20 million to help refugees from Afghanistan who are being resettled in the state;
• Around $100 million in drought relief measures including $40 million for farmers who are waiting for money from the federal government; and
• Millions to the state's 14 largest cities to help end homelessness and provide affordable housing.