Eviction moratorium extended to June 30, covering 20 million U.S. households

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday extended the eviction moratorium until June 30, providing a reprieve to millions of tenants. The current order had been set to expire at the end of March.

The moratorium has protected about 20 million households from the threat of eviction, according to the National Housing Law Project. Because of the ongoing economic hit from the pandemic, one in five renters are behind in their rent payments, an issue that disproportionately impacts Black and Latino households, according to Census data.

The CDC's decision represents the latest extension of the measure, which was first enacted last year by the agency as a public health measure to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The CDC order protects renters earning less than $99,000 if they have lost income during the pandemic and are likely to become homeless if they're evicted. 

"Extending the moratorium is clearly necessary and appropriate," said National Low Income Housing Coalition CEO Diana Yentel on Twitter. "The pandemic isn't over, ten million families are behind on rent, and it will take months to distribute $46 billion in rental assistance to address arrears and prevent evictions."

While housing advocates like Yentel applauded the extension, they also said the order doesn't go far enough to protect renters who are struggling with the ongoing economic crisis. 

For instance, the regulation only protects renters if they know about the moratorium and take steps to protect themselves – which has resulted in ongoing evictions, housing groups said in a March 15 letter to the Biden administration. 

In:
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention