Eviction ban's end will allow pandemic lockouts to resume

Tenant advocates and court officials were gearing up Friday for what some fear will be a wave of evictions after a U.S. Supreme Court action allowing lockouts to resume.

The high court's conservative majority late Thursday blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban placed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The ruling ends protections for about 3.5 million people in the U.S. who say they faced eviction in the next two months, according to Census Bureau data from early August. "We are incredibly disappointed in the Supreme Court ruling and ask Congress and Governor (Doug) Ducey to take action to prevent what will likely be tragic outcomes for thousands of Arizona families," said Cynthia Zwick, executive director of the nonprofit organization Wildfire that is helping distribute government rental assistance in Arizona.