Oregon Legislature Schedules Second Public Hearing 3/9 1 pm on Bill Allowing Tenants to Repay Back Rent by Feb. 2022

Action Alert: SECOND HEARING TOMORROW 3/9 at 1 pm ON SB 282-1 to Extend Repayment Grace Period for Past Due Rent to February 2022, Expand Excessive Penalties, and Rewrite Lease Agreements

The Senate Housing and Development Committee scheduled another last-minute hearing on a bill that will extend the State’s repayment grace period for past due rent to February 2022.

It is critical that rental owners oppose to this proposal. 

SB 282-1, the proposal before the committee, includes the following provisions:

• Extend the grace period for repayment of back-rent to February 2022
• Continue the temporary 10-day non-payment termination notice to February 2022
• Prohibit landlords from considering FEDs during the COVID period in screening applicants.
• Expand the current FED expungement process to include FEDs during the COVID period
• Permanently continue the prohibition on credit reports for rent debt protected by the moratorium or grace period.
• Prohibit landlords from screening tenants based on nonpayment during the eviction moratorium and grace period.
• Temporarily prevent the use of landlord-imposed occupancy/guest standards as a means for eviction (unless otherwise required by law).
• Extending HB 4401's increased damages provision for retaliation violations.
• Ensure that retaliation protections cover retaliation against tenants for having used the moratorium or grace period provisions.

You can read the bill here.


Hearing details:
Senate Committee on Housing and Development
Scheduled for March 9th, 2021 at 1:00 PM
Link to hearing page

How to testify: 
The best way to advocate for this policy is to share your personal story with the Senate Committee members and why you think they should oppose SB 282. 

We also encourage you to share the following messages:

• SB 282-1 does not address the root cause of the COVID-19 housing crisis: the inability to pay rent.
• This catastrophic emergency is being used to change laws unrelated to keeping people housed during this crisis.
• I ask you to oppose SB 282 and instead focus on the #1 issue driving housing instability right now: helping those struggling to pay past due rent.
• Support SB 330, a real solution for struggling renters who need help.

HOW TO TESTIFY

The most effective way to connect with the committee is to testify live virtually during the hearing, then submitting your testimony for the record in writing as well.

Testify Virtually:

1. All legislative public hearings are held on Microsoft Teams. If you have not testified remotely before, make sure to visit the Legislature’s “How to Testify Remotely” web page and review the instructions carefully.
   
   
2. Registration is required to testify by phone or video link. To sign up, use this online form. Requests to testify live are allowed until the hearing start time. Click here.   
   
   Registration closes at the time the meeting is scheduled to begin. Your testimony will be uploaded to OLIS as part of the public legislative record: more information.
   
   

Testify In writing submission due by 1 pm Monday, March 8:
Electronic: Click here.