Oregon Eviction Moratorium Explained

As of April 1, 2020 the statewide eviction moratorium prohibits 72-hour notices for non-payment of rent AND no-cause termination and evictions through the end of June, 2020.  However, tenants will still owe rent, utilities, and other costs and fees.

What does it do?

1. Prohibits landlords from issuing termination notices to tenants or filing for evictions in court for non-payment of rent, utilities, costs and fees.
2. Prohibits landlords from issuing tenants termination notices for no cause or filing for evictions in court for no cause.
3. Waives any late fees that landlords may charge for non-payment of rent during this time.
4. Sheriffs are not allowed to remove people from their homes, if the eviction was based for non-payment of rent or a termination without cause until at least June 30, 2020.

What tenants must do

1. Tenants must notify their landlord of their inability to pay rent as soon as possible.  It is encouraged that you notify your landlord in writing.
2. If tenants are financially able to pay a full or partial payment to their landlords, they must.

What happens after the moratorium is lifted?

1. Once the statewide moratorium is lifted (end of June 2020), landlords will be able to issue notices that only allow a short time for tenants to pay what is owed.
2. Landlords will be allowed to issue No Cause termination notices.
3. Landlords will be allowed to file for evictions in court for No Cause and for Non-payment.

What the statewide eviction moratorium does not do

1. It does not stop landlords from issuing For Cause Termination Notices (other than 72-hour notices for nonpayment).
2. If does not stop landlords from filing eviction cases in the court For Cause terminations (other than 72-hour notices for nonpayment).
3. It does not prevent Sheriffs from removing tenants from their homes at the end of an eviction process for causes other than non-payment or no-cause evictions.

Court Closures

Courts are currently postponing all court hearings on evictions until June 30, 2020 with the possible exception of 24 hour notices of eviction for violent or outrageous conduct.

Tenants will still owe their landlords the rent, utilities, or other charges normally paid to the landlord, however, Multnomah County, Beaverton and Hillsboro will delay qualifying tenants' obligation to pay these charges.  Once these protections have been lifted, tenants will have a period of six months to pay their landlords back in full.

Congress has also passed a law, the CARES Act, which applies to anyone with federally subsidized housing.  This includes housing where a part of your rent is paid with a Section 8 (housing choice) voucher.  Under the CARES Act, a landlord is not allowed to start an eviction case based on nonpayment of rent, fees, or other charges, until July 26, 2020.  Your landlord is also not allowed to give you a termination notice for nonpayment of rent, fees, or other charges between March 27 and July 25, 2020.    After July 26, 2020, your landlord must give at least 30 days' notice before terminating your tenancy for nonpayment of rent, fees, or other charges.