We need your help! This will take about five minutes of your time today, an have a huge impact on our state. We need your help to ask Congress to commit $100 billion in rental assistance to help people who are struggling to pay their rent because of COVID-19. We also need to fight for people who need mortgage relief!
$100 billion in Rental Assistance
The National Low Income Housing Coalition has shared that Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Representative Denny Heck (D-WA), and over seventy original cosponsors (including Oregon’s own Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Congressman Peter DeFazio, and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici!) will soon introduce the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act” to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help keep the lowest-income renters stably housed during the coronavirus pandemic. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, will introduce companion legislation this week. Congress must include this much-needed investment in the next coronavirus relief bill.
Contact our Members of Congress today! Here are three easy steps:
First, find out who represents you in Congress! Every Oregonian is represented by Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley. Find who represents you in the US House of Representatives by looking up your address here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/OR#representatives.
Second, if you live in Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s district (OR-3), Congressman Peter DeFazio’s district (OR-4) or Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s district (OR-1), please write or call to say THANK YOU for being an original co-sponsor of the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act”! Click to send an email to: Congresswoman Bonamici, Congressman DeFazio, or Congressman Blumenauer. Here is a sample script:
Hi, my name is (your name), and I believe every Oregonian deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. Thank you so much for co-sponsoring the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act. Oregonians need help paying the rent during this COVID-19 crisis, and $100 billion is needed to support renters across our state and country.
If you live in the rest of Oregon, once you’ve found your Representative, let’s send them an email asking them to sign on to the Act. Click to send an email to:
- Congressman Schrader (OR-5)
- Congressman Walden (OR-2)
Hi, my name is (your name), and I believe every Oregonian deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. During this time, Oregonians need help paying the rent during this COVID-19 crisis, and $100 billion is needed to support renters across our state and country. Please sign on to support the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act, so that Oregonians can access rent assistance during this time.
If you have a personal story about being a renter or homeowner, and struggling to afford your rent, or being forced to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table, please say a few sentences about that. It’s so important that our lawmakers know what’s happening in our communities.
If you are able to work from home or are an essential worker right now, and are able to pay your bills, share that too, and share how important it is that all of us can stay in our homes.
Third, send a similar email to Senator Merkley and Senator Wyden, asking them to sign on the companion legislation in the Senate, sponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
Need something quicker? You can also send an email through the National Low Income Housing Coalition Action Center! They will help identify your member of Congress, and help with sample text!
Social Media! If you prefer to use social media, contact our Congressional delegation on twitter! Ask them to support $100 billion in rent assistance now!
Mortgage Payment Assistance
During this time, homeowners are struggling and may fall behind on their mortgage payments. Habitat International and other partners are advocating for mortgage payment assistance. The Housing Assistance Fund would help households pay their mortgages during this time. Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator Jack Reed are sponsoring this bill, which would create a $75 billion fund. Go here to send an email to our delegation, asking them to sign on.
