NeighborImpact, Oregon Rental Assistance Program helping renters get back on track

Financial hardships from pandemic keep people in piles of debt

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The federal Centers for Disease Control moratorium that allows you to delay your rent payment has been extended. It's been extended several times, and President Biden announced Tuesday that it will expire on Oct. 3.

The director of NeighborImpact, which is helping distribute the rental assistance locally, says the pandemic set people back so far financially they just can't catch up. For that reason, people in Central Oregon are still seeking rental assistance.

"Over the course of the pandemic and during the lockdown, when nobody could actually make the cash, they built up such balances -- there's no way you're going to pay them off when your wages," Scott Cooper said Thursday. "Your rent is half of what you make during the year so that's what I think we're trying to address mostly."

State officials have hired an outside vendor to help process applications faster and clear up a significant backlog.

"This is a temporary step, to move resources out the door quickly." Andrea Bell, housing stabilization director for the Oregon Housing and Community Services, told reporters Thursday

Landlords are also impacted. And Cooper says there could be long-term housing consequences if landlords are neglected. (The state has had a separate aid program for landlords.)

"I think we overlook the landlords, who are a really important part of our community, and I think we all need to be really concerned that if we're not taking care of those landlords," he said.

"Our affordable housing situation is going to get a lot worse as they convert their rentals to owned properties or second income properties. We don't want that." Cooper said.

Cooper also says NeighborImpact is rolling out the money to its applicants, and Central Oregon is in a good spot.

But while the need is being met, there is still a need.