Psaki Releases Statement On Judge Keeping Eviction Moratorium

On Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki released a statement responding to the district court decision that allowed the extension of the CDC’s eviction moratorium to remain in place because the court did not have the “power or authority” to end it.

“Throughout the pandemic, preventing evictions and keeping people in their homes has been a proven way of slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Psaki said. “The Administration believes that CDC’s new moratorium is a proper use of its lawful authority to protect the public health. We are pleased that the district court left the moratorium in place, though we are aware that further proceedings, in this case, are likely.”

“The President continues to call on State and local elected officials and judges to issue local eviction moratoriums and move aggressively to distribute the $46.5 billion in emergency rental assistance funds that are available through the bipartisan COVID relief act that Congress passed in December 2020, and through the President’s American Rescue Plan that was enacted in March 2021,” Psaki added. “And, the President calls on landlords to seek out rental assistance and not evict tenants from their homes, and echoes Attorney General Garland’s calls for state and local courts to implement policies to discourage eviction filings until landlords and tenants have sought emergency rental assistance funds.”

On Friday, US District Judge Dabney Friedrich said that her “hands are tied” because her Court does not have the “power or authority” to end the moratorium.
The Alabama and Georgia Association of Realtors who filed the lawsuit are expected to appeal the decision. If the appeals court rules against the group, then the case can be taken to the Supreme Court, where Justice Kavanaugh has already said he believes the extension of the moratorium was illegal.