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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday issued a moratorium on evictions targeting areas of the country with high COVID-19 transmission, extending an eviction ban for much of the country just days after the expiration of a general moratorium.
The CDC order applies to counties with significant levels of spread of the virus, defined by the agency as 50 to 100 cases per 100,000 people. A Congressional source said the ordinance would likely apply to around 90% of the tenant population in the United States.
The order will expire on October 3. It was issued after days of back-and-forth between the White House and Congressional Democrats over who was responsible for extending the moratorium, while dozens of Americans faced uncertainty over a possible withdrawal from their home.
“An increase in evictions could result in the immediate and significant displacement of large numbers of people from low-density housing to higher-density housing at a time in the United States where the highly transmissible Delta variant is leading to cases of COVID -19 at an unprecedented rate, “he added. the CDC order says, citing data showing that just under half of late-renting households believe they could be evicted within the next two months.
“Evicted tenants have to move, resulting in multiple outcomes that increase the risk of the spread of COVID-19. Specifically, many evicted tenants are moving into shared housing or other gathering places,” the order says. of the CDC. “These moves may require crossing state borders. According to the 2017 Census Bureau’s U.S. History Survey, 32% of renters said they would move in with friends or family when of eviction, which would introduce new members into the household and potentially increase household overcrowding. Studies show that transmission of COVID-19 easily occurs within households. “
President Biden admitted at a press conference on Tuesday that the CDC’s order may not stand in court. But he argued it would at a minimum save state and local governments time to distribute aid to tenants and landlords.
“Whether that option will go through constitutional action with this administration, I can’t tell you. I don’t know,” Biden said before the order was released. “There are a few academics who say yes and others who say it’s not likely. But, at a minimum, by the time it is litigated, it will probably give a little more time while we distribute these 45 billions of dollars to people who are actually behind on rent and don’t have the money. “
The move comes after days of outcry from Democrats over the lapsed moratorium, which had been in place since the early months of the pandemic. The White House had insisted on Monday that its hands were tied and that only Congress could pass an extension, but Democratic leaders said the Biden administration was in a position to act.
The Supreme Court upheld the CDC’s moratorium, overturning a decision by a federal appeals court on June 29, but warned that a further extension of the ban beyond the July 31 deadline would exceed the agency authority unless Congress passes legislation to extend it. The House did not attempt to do so until Friday, two days before the ban expired and a day after Biden asked Congress to extend the CDC’s moratorium.
Republicans opposed the extension of the moratorium, as were some Democrats in the House.
Some Democrats have expressed frustration that the White House asked for House action just days before the moratorium expired.
White House officials said as late as Monday that the agency was unable to justify even a limited extension of the ban to hard-hit areas given the court ruling.
“To date, the CDC director and her team have been unable to find legal authority even for a more targeted eviction moratorium that would focus only on counties with higher COVID spread rates,” said Gene Sperling, Biden’s economic recovery czar.
The CDC update was celebrated by Democrats, especially progressives who had been among the most vocal in pushing the Biden administration to act. Representative Cori Bush (D-Mo.) Camped outside Capitol Hill for days to raise awareness and call for federal action. She kissed the Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer
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