Rent and utility aid available for 2020 wildfire survivors in eight Oregon counties

Oregon Housing and Community Services announced that the application deadline for the Intermediate Housing Assistance program is June 30, 2026. This program provides temporary rent and utility assistance to renters who survived the 2020 Labor Day wildfires and straight-line winds. The assistance is available for those who lived in one of eight disaster-affected counties and have a verified loss.

The Intermediate Housing Assistance (IHA) program is part of ReOregon, a suite of wildfire recovery programs for survivors of the 2020 Labor Day Disasters. ReOregon is funded by a $422 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery, which supports long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. Eligibility for IHA has expanded to include higher incomes, aiming to help more households. So far, Ore. Housing and Community Services (OHCS) and its partners have served 401 households through the IHA program.

Shannon Marheine, director of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at Oregon Housing and Community Services, emphasized the program's importance. "IHA provides a vital need for renters who are also wildfire survivors to help keep them stably housed as they figure out their permanent housing solution," Marheine said. "We encourage anyone who is eligible and hasn't yet applied to do so as soon as possible. If you know someone might benefit from this program, please spread the word."

Assistance through the IHA program may last for up to 24 months. It can also last until the program's funding is fully spent. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact a local community action agency to learn more and begin an application.

Oregon Housing and Community Services administers IHA. OHCS is the state's housing finance agency. The agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve affordable housing for low and moderate income Oregonians. OHCS delivers these programs through grants, contracts and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. The counties affected include Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn and Marion.

Survivors have until June 30, 2026, to apply for the Intermediate Housing Assistance program. More information about IHA and other ReOregon programs is available on the OHCS website. Interested individuals can also contact a local community action agency for application assistance.