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Two days before the federal eviction moratorium was due to expire the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the order. On Monday, March 29, 2021, the CDC extended the order which prevents Americans from being evicted through the month of June.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on everyone worldwide. Leaving some people to scrimp and save just to get by. This pandemic has left many people without a way to pay their rent. The CDC’s federal eviction moratorium has been a huge relief for many people in the United States.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky stated the virus “has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health.” Walensky further stated that their goal is to keep people “in their homes and out of … homeless shelters.” The order they extended “is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
According to NPR, there are studies that show that evictions can spread the COVID-19 virus. The moratorium was due to expire on March 31st — now it is good through to the end of June.
Data from the Census Bureau shows that over eight million U.S. households are behind in rent. Housing groups have warned the CDC that if the federal eviction moratorium lapses a tsunami of evictions would soon follow. Landlord trade groups have been highly opposed to the CDC’s eviction prevention.
They have argued that landlords need to have control over their properties. According to the President and CEO of the National Apartment Association, Bob Pinnegar, the “eviction moratoria push renters and their housing providers closer to the brink of financial ruin.”
Attorneys for people facing evictions are arguing that the CDC’s order is not strong enough. They believe there are too many loopholes and that it is not automatic. Not many renters know they’re required to take steps to prevent themselves from being evicted.
People need to go to the CDC website and get a form off of it. They then have to sign it under penalty of perjury and give it to the landlord. However, landlords and their attorneys have often found a way around this. For instance, if a person’s lease has expired a landlord could say they are evicting due to not wanting to extend or renew the lease.
Allowing them to bypass the issue of nonpayment. Many judges and courts have treated the CDC’s order differently from county to county and state to state. The federal eviction moratorium the CDC has extended does not appear to address these issues.
Yentel stated, “that the administration didn’t act on the clear evidence and need to also strengthen the order to address the flaws that undermine its public health purpose.” If the agency does not it will end with “some continued harmful evictions during the pandemic.”
Written by Sheena Robertson
Source:
NPR: Federal Eviction Moratorium Extended Just 2 Days Before Expiration; by Chris Arnold
Featured and Top Image by Daniel Mayer Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License