Portland commissioner says no decisions made yet on rent and mortgage forgiveness
Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said Friday that she's been in contact with Sen. Ron Wyden's office about the city's proposal for rent and mortgage forgiveness for anyone who was recently laid off.
Eudaly said the proposal is being looked at on the state level, but no decisions have been made.
She also responded to criticism from a group that represents local landlords, saying this might not be the perfect solution, but something has to be done.
"This is a moment where we have to recognize that tenants, landlords, workers, and business owners are all in this together and the only way we can get through it is to work together, to be creative, to be flexible, and to all make sacrifices," Eudaly said.
She said they are not calling for a rent forgiveness program, without any further action, and that something will have to be done to offset the costs.
The group Multifamily Northwest sent the governor a letter Thursday saying a program like this would have a ripple effect, resulting in more layoffs in the housing industry.