Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek Wants Extension of Eviction Ban

The governor’s office declined to say whether Gov. Kate Brown will call a special session.

DESPERATE MEASURES: House Speaker Tina Kotek presided over two previous special sessions of the Oregon Legislature.

Even as COVID-19 infections and the resulting economic decline continue across Oregon, the state is six weeks away from an end to its moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.

That ban ends Sept. 30. It's not clear how elected state officials will address that.

It may require a special session of the Legislature (the third this year) or an executive order by Gov. Kate Brown.

House Speaker Tina Kotek is pushing for a six-month extension. "My top priority for September is making sure we can extend the eviction and foreclosure protections for another six months," says Kotek. "Nothing is getting any easier, and people need to stay housed."

The governor's office declined to say whether Brown will call a special session.

"We're in conversations with legislative leaders and housing advocates about what the necessary next steps are," says Brown spokesman Charles Boyle.

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