The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new federal eviction moratorium on Tuesday.
The eviction ban will be targeted at areas of the country experiencing high levels of coronavirus infections and will last for 60 days until Oct. 3. The protection could cover around 90% of renters.
The CDC’s original eviction ban, which had been in effect since September 2020, expired on July 31.
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More than 11 million Americans remain behind on their rent, and the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread. Research has found evictions lead to a spike in virus cases and deaths.
The White House previously had said it couldn’t extend the eviction ban again after the Supreme Court ruled in June that the policy could only be renewed through legislation.
It’s unclear how the court will respond to this new moratorium, but it could at least buy states and cities more time to distribute the $45 billion in rental assistance allocated by Congress. Just around $3 billion of that money had reached households by the end of June.
“This is a tremendous relief for millions of people who were on the cusp of losing their homes and, with them, their ability to stay safe during the pandemic,” National Low Income Housing Coalition President Diane Yentel said. “President Biden’s bold action and leadership in this moment of crisis will save lives and immeasurable suffering.”
— Additional reporting by Ylan Mui, CNBC senior congressional correspondent.
