Joe Biden to Extend the CDC’s Restriction on Evictions Before it Expires at the End of the Month

On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of 44 House Democrats urged President Joe Biden to extend the CDC’s nationwide restriction on evictions before it expires at the end of the month.

In a letter to Biden and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, the lawmakers, led by Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Jimmy Gomez, and Cori Bush warned that “millions of renters will once again face the threat of eviction” next week unless further action is taken.

They said, “Evictions take lives and push households deeper into poverty, impacting everything from health outcomes to educational attainment.”

According to a recent poll by the United States Census Bureau, about 6 million renter households are behind on their rent. Democrats are pressing Biden to prolong the eviction prohibition.

The CDC first announced the prohibition in September, citing a public health statute that gives the agency-specific authorities to prevent contagious diseases from spreading over state lines. Even though Congress and the White House extended the program three times, landlords have challenged the eviction moratorium in courts around the country. The National Association of Realtors filed a request for relief with the Supreme Court earlier this month, and the case is still pending.

More than $46 billion in emergency rental assistance has been granted by Congress for state and local officials to deliver to suffering tenants. However, much of that money has yet to reach landlords, who are still responsible for property taxes, mortgage payments, and operational costs.

The lawmakers who wrote to Biden on Tuesday did not specify how long the eviction moratorium should be prolonged. They claimed, however, that it was a pressing racial justice issue, citing data that showed minority households were more likely to lose their houses. They also demanded that the existing ban on eviction for nonpayment of rent be “significantly strengthened.”

They said, “The Biden Administration must aid those facing eviction by extending and significantly strengthening the current CDC moratorium to ensure the protections are automatic, self-executing, and that tenants are not expected to navigate a myriad of overly burdensome eligibility requirements to safely remain in their homes.”