The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an end to the temporary ban on evictions that the federal government instituted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The nine magistrates of the country's highest court divided their positions, with five in favor of continuing the relief measure for tenants compared to four who disagreed.
Federal Judge Dabney Friedrich in Washington had lifted the moratorium as the decision was beyond the authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the agency that issued the order last year.
Activists Protest Evictions for Non-Payment of Rent in Coronavirus Pandemic;
on October 14, 2021. AP
The moratorium on evictions was established due to financial difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The president, Joe Biden, had extended the protection in January shortly after taking office until the end of March and later extended it again until July 31, when it will expire.
The moratorium applies to single tenants earning $ 99,000 a year or less
and couples earning less than $ 198,000, who must declare that they are unable to pay rent due to COVID-19-related hardships and will be homeless if they are evicted.
There are more options for tenants who cannot pay their rent
June 27, 202101: 48
Judge Brett Kavanaugh explained that while he believed the tenant protections were outlawed, he
had voted to keep them because they would end in a month
“and those few remaining weeks will allow for a more orderly distribution of assistance funds. for the rent granted by Congress ”.
Chief Justice John Roberts and the three liberal members of the court also voted to maintain the moratorium.
Justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas said they would have finished it.
[The Governor of California signs the extension of the moratorium on evictions until September 30]
The CDC implemented the protection last year to prevent families from losing their homes and having to move into shelters or share housing with family or friends during the pandemic, which would likely have contributed to the spread of the virus.
As of the end of March, 6.4 million American households were behind on their rent, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
As of June 7,
approximately 3.2 million people said they would face eviction in the next two months
, according to a Census Bureau survey.
With information from The Associated Press.
