*Authorize application to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Eviction Prevention Grant Program for $2,500,000 to support no cost legal assistance for low-income tenants at risk of or subject to eviction

The City of Portland ordains: Section 1. The Council finds: In 2019, 5,904 eviction cases were filed in Multnomah County. Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused an economic downturn throughout Oregon and in City of Portland with unprecedented numbers of layoffs and reduced work hours for a significant percentage of our workforce. This economic hardship, disproportionately affecting low and moderate-income workers and BIPOC workers, has resulted in lost wages and the inability to pay for basic household expenses, including rent. Currently, as was true before the COVID-19 pandemic, nonpayment of rent is the leading cause of evictions within the state and in the City of Portland. Although the economy continues to recover from the direct impacts of the pandemic, high inflation and increasing housing costs means many renter households, particularly low and moderate-income and BIPOC households, continue to struggle to afford their housing. Evictions filings remain elevated from pre-pandemic numbers. In 2022, 6,608 evictions were filed in Multnomah County, the majority of which were filed after pandemic eviction protections expired in August 2023. In 2023, 8,894 evictions were filed in Multnomah County, a 50% increase from pre-pandemic filings. And in the first six months of 2024, 5,538 eviction cases have been filed. If the rate of filings remains steady this year, Multnomah County will be on track to more than double the number of eviction filings when compared to 2019. Evictions have long-term consequences for tenants including houselessness, the loss of personal possessions, decreased physical and mental health, poor school performance for children, job loss, housing discrimination, and the inability to find stable replacement housing. Evictions force low-income tenants further into poverty. Studies have shown that evictions and their resulting negative impacts disproportionately affect Black and Latino households, households headed by women, and households with children. Evictions create significant costs within the City of Portland related to increased needs for shelter funding, education funding, health care provided in hospitals instead of community–based providers, transportation costs, and foster care. Providing access to counsel for tenants facing eviction is a proven means of preventing the disruptive displacement of families and the resulting social, economic, and public health costs of such displacement. Even if displacement cannot be avoided, counsel can help negotiate more favorable terms that allow more time to vacate, avoidance of a formal eviction on a tenant’s record and possible reductions in back-rent or other costs owed by the tenant. In recognition of the transformative impact of a right to counsel in eviction proceedings for tenants, seventeen cities, four states, and one county to date have adopted codes creating a right to counsel for tenants facing eviction. The Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) recognizes the importance of providing legal assistance to tenants facing potential eviction. In addition, as evictions disproportionately impact BIPOC renters, preventing evictions and their negative consequences is a way to advance the City’s Racial Equity Goals & Strategies and Portland Housing Bureau’s Racial Equity Plan. With this funding, the Eviction Legal Defense program partners will perform outreach, education services, and intakes for at least 400 tenants facing eviction and will provide legal representation or negotiation support for at least 700 tenants through the Program. Demographic data of Program participants will be tracked to assess the Program’s effectiveness in advancing the City’s Racial Equity Goals & Strategies and the Portland Housing Bureau’s Racial Equity Plan. No match is required by this grant. NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs: The Mayor is hereby authorized to make application to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for a grant in the amount of $ 2,500,000. The Mayor is authorized to provide such information and assurances as are required for the grant period. The Office of Management & Finance Grants Management Division is authorized to perform all administrative matters in relation to the grant application, grant agreement or amendments, requests for reimbursement from the grantor, and to submit required online grant documents on the Mayor’s behalf. Section 2. The Council declares that an emergency exists because the Eviction Prevention Grant Program application must be submitted no later than August 20, 2024; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.