Governor Kate Brown Extends COVID-19 State of Emergency

October 28, 2020

Governor Kate Brown Extends COVID-19 State of Emergency
Yesterday, October 27, Governor Kate Brown extended her declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until Jan. 2, 2021. The declaration is the legal underpinning for the Governor's COVID-19 executive orders and the Oregon Health Authority's health and safety guidance. Learn more with yesterday's news release.
 
Need Help With Rent and Mortgage?
Making rent or mortgage payments can be a challenge right now. Oregon Health Authority wants you to know there is help available.
Renters are protected by an eviction moratorium in Oregon through Dec. 31, 2020. Tenants cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent during this time. You can find other protections that are part of the moratorium on the Community Alliance of Tenants webpage. If you need help coming up with your rent, 211info also has information on rental assistance throughout Oregon.
For homeowners, the Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative (OSHI) has a COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance Program. You can learn about eligibility requirements and the application process at OHSI's website. There is a moratorium on foreclosures through Dec. 31, 2020 as well.
 
Multnomah County added to watch list
Governor Kate Brown announced on Friday that Multnomah County has been added to the County Watch List. The county remains in Phase 1 of reopening, and it remains grouped with Clackamas and Washington Counties for future reopening decisions. Of these three counties, only Multnomah is on the Watch List at this time.
 
Counties are placed on the Watch List when COVID-19 is spreading quickly and public health officials cannot trace that spread to specific sources creating a potentially dangerous dynamic. Specific markers of this rapid community spread include when there is a sporadic case rate of 50 or more per 100,000 people in the last two weeks and the County has had more than five sporadic cases in the last two weeks (sporadic cases are those that cannot be traced to a source; they indicate community spread). Counties remain on the Watch List for a minimum of three weeks and until their sporadic case rates drop below these thresholds.