Oregon governor Kate Brown spoke at a press conference the afternoon of March 16, 2020. She urged citizens to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, and announced new restrictions on restaurants and other establishments in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus. Dave Killen / staff The Oregonian
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This article was originally published by the Oregonian/OregonLive, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving health issue.
Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order Sunday temporarily halting residential evictions for nonpayment during the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The order will remain in place for 90 days.
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“Through no fault of their own, many Oregonians have lost jobs, closed businesses, and found themselves without a source of income to pay rent and other housing costs during this coronavirus outbreak,” Brown said in a news release Sunday.
“The last thing we need to do during this crisis is turn out more Oregonians struggling to make ends meet from their homes and onto the streets,“ she added. “This is both a moral and a public health imperative.”
The governor’s office acknowledged that landlords and property owners face challenges, too. Brown and the Coronavirus Economic Advisory Council are talking to lenders and looking for options for relief for these groups as well, according to the statement.
To order comes as Brown is under pressure from officials and healthcare providers throughout the state to issue a shelter-in-place to compel Oregonians to stay home except for necessary outings until the threat from coronavirus passes.
