ACLU Comment on New CDC Eviction Moratorium

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will issue a new federal moratorium on evictions. The previous federal eviction moratorium expired on July 31. The new moratorium, which will remain in effect through October 3, bans evictions in counties with high rates of COVID-19 transmission.

Below is a comment from Ian Thompson, Senior Legislative Advocate at the ACLU, in response:

“We commend the Biden administration for listening to the pleas of millions of renters facing eviction across the country by putting in place a new federal eviction moratorium. This is a critical move that will help keep the most vulnerable, low-income renters in stable housing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“This moratorium must be met with additional immediate action by the administration, Congress, and states to address the looming mass evictions crisis. Congress should still swiftly pass legislation to ensure that a federal moratorium on evictions remains in place as long as the COVID-19 emergency declaration is in place. In addition, the Biden administration must work with states and localities to rapidly disburse the $46 billion in funding that Congress has already appropriated for rent relief. States and localities must also take bold action to protect renters from the devastating, long-lasting effects of eviction by, for example, adopting a right to counsel and protections against screening policies that reject applicants based on prior eviction filings. We need this meaningful action to stop mass evictions during the pandemic and beyond.”