Think Out Loud

With the start of a new month, many people are concerned about paying rent. Eviction courts are closed and a statewide eviction moratorium is in place. There are some additional protections at the local level, but these are limited. Mostly, these regulations allow tenants to defer rent payments if they can prove that the reason they can’t pay is related to the COVID-19 crisis. And landlords are still legally required to do maintenance and repairs, even if their income is reduced due to tenants’ inability to pay rent. We hear from Coya Crespin, Portland Metro community organizer for the Community Alliance of Tenants, and Jim Straub, legislative director for the Oregon Rental Housing Association and owner of Acorn Property Management.