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Oregon’s religious leaders call on Sen. Peter Courtney and Sen. Ginny Burdick today
Salem, Ore. – In the final weeks of the Oregon legislative session, a diverse contingent of faith leaders sent an urgent and somber message to Senate leadership calling for passage of SB 2004 to limit no-cause evictions and protect the renters in their congregations.
“In an extraordinary show of support, faith leaders from around the state have come together to call on the Senate to pass HB 2004 right away. The children, families and individuals cannot wait another two years for action,” said Alison McIntosh, Neighborhood Partnerships.
Here is the letter in its entirety:
June 26, 2017
Senate President Courtney
Senator Burdick
Senator Ferrioli
Oregon State Legislature
900 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
Dear Senate President Courtney, Senator Burdick, and Senator Ferrioli:
We, the undersigned religious leaders, ask you to please pass HB 2004B.
This legislative session, you have a great opportunity to help families remain in their homes and avoid a path to homelessness by passing HB 2004B. We respectfully urge your support of HB 2004B to limit no- cause evictions and to provide stability to the four in ten Oregonians who rent their homes.
We believe that everyone deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. Today, current policy permits landlords to evict tenants without providing a cause, sometimes with as little as 30 days’ notice. Across Oregon, families, children, and individuals are experiencing the negative effects of no- cause evictions, which threatens the stability of our communities.
Many of our congregations, churches, parishes, and synagogues operate a food pantry or an emergency rent fund. We know firsthand that as rents continue to rise, families are asked to choose between paying their rent or purchasing essential survival materials, such as food and medicine. Tragically, many of our congregants have to make these choices for themselves and their children often: hunger or eviction; health or warm clothing.
The current housing crisis is disproportionally targeting the stability and safety of the most vulnerable in our society. We ask you to recognize the danger to human dignity that no-cause evictions are perpetuating, particularly on communities of color, seniors, people with disabilities, and parents of young children.
As a state, we know we can do more to provide stability for families by limiting the use of no cause evictions. HB 2004B is one way that Oregon can help people who rent their homes remain stable.
We believe we must grab the opportunity presented by this bill. The health and safety of low-income families – as well as the strength of our social fabric – depend on it.
Thank you for your continued efforts to address the needs of every one of our communities, and we urge you to pass HB 2004B.
Sincerely,
Rev. Andrew Guthrie
Lynchwood Christian Church
Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie
University Chaplain, Pacific University
Rev. Katie Larsell
Oregon Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice
Bishop T Allen Bethel
Maranatha Church
Rev. Craig Moro
Minister, Wy'east Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Rev. Dr. Emily Brault, Chaplain
Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
Rev. Tracy Springberry
Rev. Kate Lore
Rev. Connie Yost
Rev Marcia Stanard
Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Willamette Falls
Oregon City
Rev. Lynne Smouse López
Ainsworth United Church of Christ
Reverend Judy Welles
Rev. Kit Ketcham
Minister, Pacific Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Astoria
Rev. Sue Ayer
Hillsboro
Rev. Wendy Fish
Retired Parish Minister and Hospital Chaplain
Rev. Mary Sue Evers
Pastor, Cedar Hills United Church of Christ
Rev. Kate Rohde
Minister Emerita, Unitarian Congregation of West Chester
Milwaukie
Rev. Judy Zimmerman
Minister, Mid-Columbia Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Hood River
Bishop CT Wells
Emmanuel Church
Portland
Rev. Melanie A. Oommen
United Church of Christ
Eugene
The Reverend Dr. Brent Was
Rector, Church of the Resurrection
Eugene
Rabbi Ariel Stone
Congregation Shir Tikvah
Rabbi Daniel Isaaks
Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Neveh Shalom
Rev. Mark Knutson
Augustana Lutheran Church
Rev. Valerie Kapman
St. Francis of Assisi
Portland
Fr. Elwin C. Schwab
St. Charles Borromeo
Portland
Rev. David Wheeler
First Baptist Church
Portland
Fr. Dave Zegar
St. Andrew's
Portland
Pr. Amanda Zentz-Alo
Central Lutheran Church
Portland
Rev. Chris Shade
Associate Pastor
First Baptist Church
Rev. Andrea R. Cano
United Church of Christ
Fr. Chuck Lienert
St. Andrew Catholic Church
Portland
Rev. Melissa O. Reed
Salt & Light Lutheran Church and Leaven Community
Portland
Sr. Mary Breiling
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
Rev. John Schwiebert
Metanoia Peace Community United Methodist Church
Portland
The Rev. Christine M. Core
Bethel Lutheran Church
Portland
Rev. Mark S. Brocker
St. Andrew Lutheran Church
Beaverton
Rev. David Eppelsheimer
Community of ChristChurch
Hillsboro
Rev. Bill Gates
United Methodist Church
Columbia District (Portland)
Rev. Aimee Bruno
King of Kings Lutheran Church
Milwaukie
The Rev. Lorin Darst
Macksburg Lutheran Church
Canby
Rev. Michael Ellick
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Portland
Rev. Scott Dunfee
St. Stephen Lutheran
Gladstone
Rev. Donna Pritchard
First United Methodist
Portland
Rev. Robyn M. Hartwig
St. Andrew Lutheran Church
Beaverton
Rev. Sue Matranga-Watson
Rev. Jennifer Garrison Brownell
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Oregon Center for Christian Voices
Rev. Joseph Santos Lyons
Matt Cato
Director, Office of Life, Justice & Peace
Archdiocese of Portland
Valerie Chapman
Pastoral Administrator
St. Francis of Assisi Parish
Portland
Constance Kosuda
St Elizabeth Ann Seton
Aloha
Rev. Patrick Donoghue
Pastor, St. Anthony Catholic Church
Portland
Eileen Sleva
Chair, Social Justice Committee
Holy Trinity Parish
Beaverton
Fr. Craig Boly, SJ, Pastor
St. Ignatius Catholic Church
Portland
Evelyn A. Brush ofs
Director of Religious Education
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
Portland
Gail Kingsley
Director of Social Services
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Archdiocese of Portland
Gerlinde Lamer
Director of Adult Faith Formation
St. Anthony Parish
Tigard
Helen Goff
Chair, Life & Justice Ministry
St. Anthony of Padua
Forest Grove
Diane Kintz, retired RN
Peace and Justice Chair, Christ the King Parish
Milwaukie
Fr. Manuel Becerra
St. Michael the Archangel Parish
Sandy
Rev. Dr. John Krebsbach
Deacon
St. Anthony of Padua
Forest Grove
Maggie Stopka
Coordinator Liturgy, Pastoral Care, Peace and Justice
St. Matthew Parish
Hillsboro
Mike O'Mahoney
Deacon
St. Mary Magdalene Paris
Julie Reilly, President
St. Frederic Conference, Society of St. Vincent De Paul
St. Frederic Catholic Church
St. Helens
Maureen Sloan, Treasurer
St. Frederic Conference, Society of St. Vincent De Paul
St. Frederic Catholic Church
St. Helens
Patricia Montone
Peace & Justice Committee
St Pius X Church
Penny McArdle
Chairperson, Peace & Justice Ministry
Resurrection Catholic Parish
West Linn
Sharon C. Williams
Chair, Justice and Peace Committee
St. Henry Church, Gresham
Sharon Grigar
Pastoral Associate
Ascension Catholic Church
Therese Ruesink
Secretary and Vice President of the Life, Justice, and Peace Committee
St. Rose of Lima Parish
Portland
Thomas Tomaszek
Pastoral Associate, Our Lady of the Lake Parish
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Brittney L. Sparks, President
Administrator of Practices and Policies
The Madonna’s Center for Life
Father Benjamin Tapia
Pastor of Shepherd of the Valley Catholic Church
Central Point
Joyce Marks
Pastoral Associate of Shepherd of the Valley Catholic Church
Central Point
Rev. Karen LaJoy Smith
All Saints Episcopal Church
Hillsboro
Daniel A. Brown, Peace and Justice Commission
St. Philip Neri
Portland
Rabbi Ruhi Sophia Rubenstein
Temple Beth Israel
Eugene
Rev. Jesse Christopherson
Milwaukie Lutheran
Milwaukie
Rev. Craig Johnson
Christ Lutheran
Aurora
Rev. Adam Phillips
Christ Church: Portland
& First Christian Church
The Reverend Eugene Ross
The Reverend Dr. Patricia Ross
Rev. Eric Conklin
Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church
Rev. John Pitney
Pastor Donna Herzfeldt-Kamprath
West Linn Lutheran Church
Laura Lee Kent
Medford Congregational United Church of Christ
Rev. Roberta J. Egli
Trinity UMC
Eugene
The Rev. Deacon Thomas R. English
Eugene
Jo Ann English
Social Action, Oregon-Idaho United Methodist Women
Member of First United Methodist Church, Eugene
Blake L. English
Member of First United Methodist Church, Eugene, Oregon
Board member of Wesley Center, University of Oregon
The Rev. Dr. Daniel Bryant
First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Eugene
Rev. Adam Briddell
First United Methodist Church of Eugene
Eugene
Jan Musgrove Elfers
Executive Director
Ecumenical Ministry of Oregon