White House Extends Limited Eviction Ban in Areas With ‘High’ COVID Transmission

The Biden administration this week extended the eviction moratorium in areas that it deems have “high” SARS-Cov-2 transmission, a targeted measure the White House is putting forth after the expiration of the broader mandate at the end of last month.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that the order “applies in United States counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of SARS-CoV-2.” It is set to expire on Oct. 3.

“The emergence of the delta variant has led to a rapid acceleration of community transmission in the United States, putting more Americans at increased risk, especially if they are unvaccinated,” CDC Director Rochelle Wallensky said in the release.

“This moratorium is the right thing to do to keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings where COVID-19 spreads.”

Democrats and housing advocates had been urging an extension to the moratorium since it expired on July 31. The federal and state governments, meanwhile, have been struggling to distribute housing aid in an effort to head off a potential eviction crisis.