ACLU Comment on SCOTUS Decision to End CDC Eviction Moratorium

August 27, 2021 9:15 am

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled to end the federal eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) late Thursday night. The court granted an emergency request by realtors who challenged the moratorium, originally intended to run until October 3.

Below is a comment from Ian Thompson, senior legislative advocate at the ACLU, in response:

“Over the next two months alone, 3.5 million people across the country will face the threat of eviction. All levels of government must now take immediate action to protect the most vulnerable renters and ensure everyone has safe and stable housing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Congress must pass legislation to ensure that a federal moratorium on evictions is in place. States and localities must likewise work to create or extend eviction moratoriums, as well as efficiently and equitably distribute the $46 billion in funding that Congress has already appropriated for rent relief. In addition, states and localities must take bold action to protect renters from the devastating effects of eviction by 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 with devastating racial and gender disparities during the pandemic and beyond.”

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