The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) put in place a new eviction moratorium that will run through Oct. 3, 2021.
It applies to counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of COVID-19, which is an estimated 90% of the country.
The CDC says the eviction moratorium allows additional time for rent relief while people get vaccinated against the virus.
The Biden administration faced pressure from Democrats to reinstate an eviction moratorium after the previous one expired at the end of July.
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who had slept outside the Capitol in protest of the eviction moratorium lapse, said she is thankful that families will get to stay in their homes.
On Friday night, I came to the Capitol with my chair. I refused to accept that Congress could leave for vacation while 11 million people faced eviction.
For 5 days, we’ve been out here, demanding that our government acts to save lives.
Today, our movement moved mountains.
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) August 3, 2021
There is concern the new eviction moratorium will not hold up in court. President Joe Biden previously said a U.S. Supreme Court ruling meant Congress would have to act to extend the eviction moratorium.
However, Biden pushed the CDC to find any legal means to justify extending the moratorium on evictions. In its order, the CDC cites the rise of the delta variant.
In addition to the eviction moratorium, the White House announced Monday new initiatives to keep people in their homes. The president called on governors to act urgently and utilize the $47 billion in relief money to make sure renters were not forced out onto the streets.
