Landlord Compensation Fund (LCF) Update

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Housing Authority of Washington County Distributes over $8 million through Landlord Compensation Fund for Back-owed Rent

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) administers the Landlord Compensation Fund (LCF) and partners with the Washington County Housing Authority for disbursement of these funds. To date, the Housing Authority of Washington County (HAWC) has distributed over $8 million directly to Washington County landlords, with an expected $6 million anticipated for future disbursements. The County has also partnered with Community Action to provide rent assistance directly to tenants and has developed a PSA (English and Spanish) geared towards tenants at risk of eviction with rent assistance resources.

The Landlord Compensation Fund was designed to provide relief to residential landlords who have been unable to collect rent due to tenant hardships related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Legislature allocated $150 million to this program to eliminate the rent owed for those tenants impacted by the pandemic and experiencing a hardship as a result. Originally the program paid back 80% of the rent owed by tenants, contingent on the landlord agreeing to forgive the additional 20% of rent owed, but recently the program was amended to allow landlords to apply and receive 100% of the rent owed on behalf of tenants. This applies to applications currently being reviewed and landlords who previously received funds through the LCF, who will receive an additional disbursement of rent assistance as staff process funding requests.

The quick work of HAWC staff will ensure the stability of tenants who have been dramatically impacted over the last year, preventing evictions for nonpayment of rent just as the Eviction Moratorium is set to expire. The HAWC will continue to disburse funds expeditiously.

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