Supreme Court declines to stop federal moratorium on evictions

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to end the federal government's temporary ban on evictions, which now is scheduled to expire in July.

The hight court ruled 5-4. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that he thought the ban was illegal, but he noted that it is scheduled to expire soon.

The moratorium on evictions was put in place due to the financial hardship of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a nationwide eviction moratorium last year due to the pandemic.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement at that time that the pandemic has presented historic challenges, and that keeping people in their homes and out of crowded settings like shelters will help stop the spread of the virus.

The Biden administration earlier this month extended the moratorium through the end of July. The CDC has said that extension was intended to be the last.

A U.S. district court judge in May ruled that the CDC exceeded its authority, but the judge put his order on hold. The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to lift that hold.

Kavanaugh wrote in a brief order that he agreed that the CDC exceeded its authority in issuing a nationwide eviction moratorium.

But Kavanaugh wrote that the CDC plans to end it in a few weeks, and that those weeks will allow for the distribution of rental assistance funds that have been approved by Congress. Kavanaugh wrote that he believes Congress would need act through legislation if the CDC planned to extend it past July 31.