WASHINGTON – Under pressure from progressive Democrats, United States health authorities yesterday declared a new moratorium on tenant evictions until October in much of the country, citing public health risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The emergence of the Delta variant has led to a rapid acceleration of community transmission in the US, putting more Americans at increased risk, especially if they are unvaccinated,” said Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in a statement.
The moratorium applies to “counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission” of Covid-19, said a CDC statement, and is set to expire on October 3.
“This moratorium is the right thing to do to keep people in their homes and out of... settings where Covid-19 spreads,” said Walensky.
Although likely to be challenged in court, the measure will allow tenants extra time to access funds previously issued by Congress to help people pay rent, said President Joe Biden from the White House.
For bureaucratic reasons, these payments have been incredibly slow to reach the US population – only US$3 billion (RM12.68 billion) has thus far been distributed to households out of the US$25 billion allotted to states and localities in early February.
Another US$21.5 billion is available in a second round of funding, but it will not go out until the first tranche is spent.
“This brand new moratorium will provide time for the money allocated by Congress to flow, as it helps stop the spread of the virus that is worsening due to the Delta variant, and protects families and landlords,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement.
A previous moratorium put in place last September by CDC expired after a Supreme Court ruling in June stipulated that it cannot continue beyond July 31 without authorisation from Congress.
The Democratic Party’s left wing had been raging for days against Biden, whom it held accountable for not having found a solution in time.
House lawmaker Cori Bush, who has herself experienced homelessness, had camped in front of the Capitol since Friday, calling on Congress and the White House to act without further delay on behalf of the 11 million people threatened with eviction.
“Today, our movement moved mountains,” tweeted Bush, welcoming news of the new moratorium on the steps of the Capitol, accompanied by progressive lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among others. – AFP, August 4, 2021
