On March 17th, 2020, Chair Deborah Kafoury and Mayor Ted Wheeler outlined a plan for the City of Portland to relieve residents from the burden of paying rent for up to 6 months after the state of emergency is over.
Red Rainbow PDX (Antifa) disrupted the event several times and even threatened to cough on the mayor, during a Virus Pandemic.
--- Red Rainbow PDX:
"The eviction moratorium is not enough. The 19,000 and counting under signers of this petition, demand a rent freeze during the state of emergency caused by COVID-19. People are losing out on work, many are forced to find last-minute child care, and still others are forced to face our dreadful, overpriced healthcare system to test for and treat the disease. This loss of work and these extra expenses will only add up during the pandemic.
An eviction moratorium that allows evictions to continue based on rent unpaid during the pandemic is of no use to the people of Portland. The people of Portland, the United States, and the World are bracing against the impact of COVID-19 on our lives.
In the wake of a slowing economy and in an attempt to responsibly contain the spread of the virus. Landlords and mortgage holders need to respond to the pandemic in kind by bracing for change and not endangering people by forcing them to work, or by forcing them on to the street as soon as it looks like the virus is abating. Neither the virus nor the housing crisis will disappear at the end of the month, or in three months, or in six months.
Freezing rent until the economy safely recovers is the only way to keep thousands more Portlanders off the streets. The state of Texas and the city of San Diego are considering similar measures.
Local organizations supporting the measure include the International League of Peoples' Struggle - PDX, Migrante USA, PortlandCHRP - Portland Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, All African People's Revolutionary Party - Oregon, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Red Rainbow PDX.
An eviction moratorium is good in that it will keep people in their homes during the peak of the pandemic, but if they are thrown out right after, they will still be in danger and the economy of Portland will still limp along as it attempts to recover from the virus.
Flatten the curve! Freeze the rent! Flatten the curve! Freeze the rent!"
--- Statement from Commissioner Chloe Eudaly:
"Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and I would like to take a moment to address something that happened this morning during the City and County joint press conference announcing an eviction moratorium. The press conference was disrupted multiple times, and at one point a member of the public threatened to cough on Mayor Ted Wheeler.
We are in unprecedented times, that is certain. Tensions and stress are high. People are worried, and rightfully so. However, what this individual did is not acceptable. To threaten to cough on someone during a pandemic is not only irresponsible from a public health perspective, it is irresponsible to those advocating and fighting to protect the city's most vulnerable.
As former grassroots activists and current elected officials, we find this behavior appalling. We want to be clear: we are, in no way, condemning direct action. We believe that direct action is a crucial tool for the people. We are, however, condemning this individual's behavior. Today's press conference was an occasion to share vital information with the public through the media during a State of Emergency."
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