As a predominant cost for non-homeowners, rent has been a major stressor for newly unemployed Americans during the outbreak of COVID-19. Those unable to pay have been under the threat of eviction in many circumstances.
This not only puts one’s general well-being in jeopardy but specifically complicates one’s ability to social distance. Thus, President Trump announced that he will authorize the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prohibit certain evictions for the remainder of this calendar year.
Said the White House,
“American renters who meet certain conditions cannot be evicted if they have affirmatively exhausted their best efforts to pay rent, seek Government rental assistance, and are likely to become homeless due to eviction.
... It is essential during the pandemic that Americans have an effective place to quarantine, isolate, and social distance, and evicting people from residences undermines that objective.”
While the move has been broadly lauded as necessary, it has also been criticized as an incomplete effort toward economic protection.
This largely pertains to the president’s authorization declining to absolve tenants of any back-owed rent due, meaning landlords could require tenants to pay several months’ worth of rent as soon as the CDC eviction prohibition expires.
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