On January 4, the Oregon Secretary of State released the results of the audit of Oregon Housing and Community Services’ distribution of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The audit was requested in December 2021 by then-Legislative Housing Committee Chairs House Majority Leader Julie Fahey (D – Eugene & Veneta) and Senator Kayse Jama (D – Portland).
“OHCS had an enormous task: quickly getting money out the door to people who desperately needed it due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. When we called for this audit, thousands of Oregonians were facing eviction–despite money being available to help them–because of unacceptable delays in processing applications. State government must often balance speed and accuracy, and I’m hopeful this audit will provide all agencies with tools to more efficiently serve Oregonians in need,” said Leader Fahey.
“The amount of federal and state funding for rental assistance programs was historic, and I’m incredibly grateful for the work by the OHCS team that kept as many Oregonians housed as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m glad to see that some of the audit recommendations have already been implemented by the agency, while others are underway. I hope this audit serves as a learning opportunity for lawmakers and state agencies to better prepare for future emergencies and build equitable, accountable systems that can effectively deliver services to Oregonians who need them most,” said Senator Jama.
