US Supreme Court Maintains CDC's Pandemic-related Residential Eviction Ban

WASHINGTON - The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday left in place the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ban on residential evictions imposed last year to combat the spread of COVID-19 and prevent homelessness during the pandemic, dealing a setback to landlords who had challenged the policy. 

The justices declined a request made by a group of landlords to allow a federal judge's decision to block the eviction moratorium to go into effect nationwide while litigation in the dispute continues. The moratorium is due to expire on July 31.    The decision was 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joining the court’s three liberal justices to deny the landlords’ request.  The CDC, based in Atlanta, Georgia, has said 30 million to 40 million people could be at risk of eviction without the moratorium. Advocacy groups have said low-income renters were particularly vulnerable.