Rent Assistance

The Rental Assistance program will be accepting applications on a rolling basis as capacity and funding allow. If you would like to be notified of future waitlist openings, please follow the link below to join our email list. 

If you are facing eviction, or have questions about your tenancy, the following resources are available to renters in Lane County:  


Even as the American economy continues its recovery from the devastating impact of the pandemic, millions of Americans face deep rental debt and fear evictions and the loss of basic housing security. COVID-19 has exacerbated an affordable housing crisis that predated the pandemic and that has deep disparities that threaten the strength of an economic recovery that must work for everyone. To meet this need, Emergency Rental Assistance programs make funding available to assist households that are unable to pay rent or utilities. Lane County Emergency Rental Assistance programs are funded through the U.S. Treasury and Oregon Housing Community Services (OHCS). 

About Lane County Rental Assistance Programs

Tenants who have submitted a pre-application will be contacted in order of priority. Due to the high demand for rent assistance, no guarantees can be made about timeline of when any given application will be prioritized.

Following Department of Treasury guidance, Lane County Rent Assistance Programs will prioritize applicants with the lowest income, highest amount of rent owed, and who have been unemployed 90 days or longer. Those who have suffered the negative effects from the 2020 Wildfires will also receive prioritization.

 

This funding is from the Department of Treasury and was approved in the American Rescue Plan. Lane County has access to funds directly and through the State of Oregon. If a tenant received Rent Relief from a different program before, they may be eligible to receive these Treasury funds.

 

All applicants will have a confirmation letter emailed or mailed to them after submitting an application. This may be used as proof of application if necessary. 

 

Applicants will not be asked about their citizenship, nor will they be required to show proof of citizenship. Those who receive a federal rent subsidy such as section 8 can apply for rent assistance.

If you have questions about Emergency Rental Assistance or other resources available to tenants at risk of eviction in Lane County, you may reach out to us by email or by phone.

Email:
 [email protected]

Phone:
 (541) 682-3776
 

Partner Agencies

Lane County is working with multiple nonprofit partner agencies to process applications as quickly as we can. Your application may be referred to one of the following agencies for processing. 

Catholic Community Services
Centro Latino Americano
Community Sharing Program
ShelterCare 
Siuslaw Outreach Services
St. Vincent de Paul First Place Family Center
Looking Glass
Homes for Good


For questions, call Lane County Rent Assistance at 541-682-3776 or email [email protected] 

Accessibility

Accessibility

We firmly believe that applying for rent assistance should be available and accessible to anyone. We are committed to providing a program that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

To request accommodations due to a disability, you may call us at (541) 682-3776 or send us an email to [email protected] with the title “Accommodation Request.”

 

If you have any accessibility problems with any of our web pages please report them to the Lane County Web Master email address at [email protected].

 

To view this information in another language, select the “translate” button in the lower right corner. 

 

Utilice el Traductor de Google para ver esta información en español seleccionando el botón "translate" en la esquina inferior derecha.

 

Additional Resources

We recognize that COVID-19 has created huge disruptions in all of our lives and we know that that many people in our community are experiencing reduced income, as well as health concerns. The need for financial assistance is great and we are working diligently to help as many people as swiftly as possible.

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Oregon Law Center/Lane County Legal Aid
Legal advice regarding evictions, landlord/tenant disputes, expungements, domestic violence, immigration, etc. 
If you have legal questions about eviction, inability to pay rent, or landlord practices, and would like Oregon Law Center to contact you, please fill out this form: https://www.cognitoforms.com/LaneCounty1/oregonlawcenter Call (541-485-1017) and apply over the phone. Intake staff will call you back and interview for eligibility and follow-up.
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Springfield Eugene Tenant Association (SETA):
https://www.springfieldeugenetenantassociation.com/

The Springfield Eugene Tenant Association is a tenant-based public service organization dedicated to renters' rights and interests. Their free hotline is available to any renter who has a question or concern regarding their tenancy: 541-972-3715. 


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Oregon Law Help: 
https://oregonlawhelp.org/

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Local service provider White Bird Clinic has compiled a comprehensive social services directory available here: https://whitebirdclinic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Little-Help-Book-2020.pdf

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There may be other assistance in the community for which you qualify. Please check the Lane County COVID-19 Long-Term Recovery webpage for updates regarding rent and energy assistance programs.

There may be other programs for which you may be eligible.  You may check 211info.org for more information. 

State of Oregon Landlord Compensation Fund

The third round of the Landlord Compensation Fund closed June 18th, 2021.

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For more information about the Eviction Moratorium, visit Oregon Law Help's website.

Prioritization

Following Department of Treasury guidance, Lane County Rent Assistance Programs will prioritize applicants with the lowest income, highest amount of rent owed, and who have been unemployed 90 days or longer. Those who have suffered the negative effects from the 2020 Wildfires will also receive prioritization.

Income Limits for Rent Assistance


Applicants’ income must be below 80% AMI. If you’re not sure if an applicant meets the income requirement, please give us a call at (541) 682-3776 Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m

Documentation Checklist

Proof of Identity
Applicant must provide verification of identity with the following documentation order of preference:

First Preference (Government Issued Photo ID)

  • Driver's license or ID card issued by federal, state, or local government agencies or entities, or issued by other, foreign government entity
  • U.S. or Foreign Passport, or Passport Card
  • Native Tribal card or ID
  • Government Employee Photo ID card or badge
  • U.S. Military ID
  • U.S. Permanent Resident Card

Second Preference (Non-Photo ID or Non-government issued Photo ID)*

  • Social Security Card
  • Voter Registration Card
  • Birth Certificate
  • Non-government employee Photo ID card or badge
  • School or University ID with a photo
  • Benefits letter(s) for SSI, SSDI, etc.
  • Medicaid or other Healthcare card

Third Preference (Third Party Verification)*

  • Utility bill in your name
  • Credit card statement
  • Letter from Landlord, Employer, Other Entity confirming your Identity
  • Rental or Vehicle Insurance Card
  • Other non-photo forms of ID with name, date of birth, SSN, etc.

*Third Preference items will require at least two items be provided

Income

Income documentation is required for all adults living in the household.

  • Documentation to verify income includes but is not limited to:
  • Paystubs, W-2s or other wage statements, tax filings
  • Bank statements demonstrating regular income
  • An attestation from an employer
  • Profit and loss statement if self-employed
  • Benefit award letters for unearned income for any household member (examples: current year social security letter, pension letter, unemployment, cash assistance, etc.)
  • Documentation of child support, annuities or any income sources.
  • Self-attestation and categorical eligibility may be utilized when other income documentation is not immediately available.

Economic Impact Due to COVID-19

Applicants must document or self-attest that they have qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to COVID-19 which threatens the household’s ability to pay the costs of the rental property when due.

Such documentation includes:

  • Unemployment benefits award letter
  • Documentation of loss of income due to COVID-19 (layoff notice, comparison of paystubs that demonstrates lost wages, loss of hours, etc)
  • Documentation of all State funds received related to COVID-19
  • Documentation of all Federal funds received related to COVID-19 (excluding Federal Supplemental unemployment income)
  • Documentation of all other funds received related to COVID-19
  • Self-Attestation of economic impact

Rental Agreement

Applicants must submit if available, a current lease or rental agreement, signed by the applicant and the landlord or sub-lessor that identifies the unit where the applicant resides and establishes the rental payment amount. Submitting a copy of a signed current lease or rental agreement is preferred. In the absence of a signed current lease or rental agreement, other documentation may be gathered to establish both residency and rental obligation.

Housing Status Documentation:

Applicants must provide documentation or self-attest housing instability or risk of eviction.

Documentation Required in order to make a payment to the Landlord, Property Management Company, Utility Company, or Vendor:

  • W-9
  • An invoice, bill, or ledger showing unpaid balance
  • Any additional forms or documentation as requested by the agency

Additional Documentation Requirements for Situations with Increased Risk of Fraud

Additional documentation will be required in situations with suspected fraud.

If an agency has a reason to believe an individual is providing false identification or is attempting to commit fraud, the application may be denied and the applicant will have an opportunity to appeal or file a grievance to have the denial reviewed in accordance with the agency's grievance policy.