¨Given the recent spread of the Delta variant, including among those US citizens both most likely to face evictions and lacking vaccinations, President Biden would have strongly supported a decision by the CDC to further extend this eviction moratorium to protect renters at this moment of heightened vulnerability, the White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

The Supreme Court last month allowed the order issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stay in place until July 31, but said congressional action would be needed to extend it past that date.

Psaki said: ‘In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the President calls on Congress to extend the eviction moratorium to protect such vulnerable renters and their families without delay.’ The moratorium aims to keep people in their homes and out of crowded settings, including homeless shelters, as a way to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

A coalition of Realtor groups had asked the Supreme Court to block the CDC order, arguing that ‘Congress never gave the CDC the staggering amount of power it now claims.’ They argued the moratorium has resulted in ‘over $13 billion in unpaid rent per month.’

pgh/Pll/msm / avr