(a) "Households of lower income" means persons or families residing in this state whose federal adjusted gross income for the tax year preceding the year in which a loss of housing due to wildfire occurs does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

(b) "Wildfire" has the meaning given that term in ORS 477.089.

(2) The Housing and Community Services Department shall administer the Wildfire Damage Housing Relief Account to assist households of lower income that suffer a loss of housing due to a wildfire. Except as provided in this section, the department shall provide assistance from the account as grants in the amount of $7,000 each. The department may reduce or refuse assistance from the account if the household has received insurance proceeds or other compensation for all or part of the loss of housing.

(3) Notwithstanding the grant amount specified in subsection (2) of this section, if the full payment of valid claims for assistance under this section would exceed the available balance of the account, the department may make a pro rata reduction in grant amounts to increase the number of claimants who receive assistance.

(4) The department may expend funds from the account to pay administrative expenses incurred under this section.

(5) Any moneys that the department provides as assistance under this section, and any administrative expenses incurred by the department in providing assistance under this section, are objectively verifiable monetary losses for purposes of ORS 477.089. Any moneys recovered by the department for those losses shall be deposited to the account. [2015 c.737 §1; 2017 c.661 §1]

Note: 458.667 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 458 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.