Federal Eviction Moratorium Expires This Week

"A federal moratorium that has protected millions of renters from eviction since late March expires Friday [July 24], leaving millions of people at risk even as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country," reports Renae Merle.

"The moratorium covers renters who live in homes with federally backed mortgages, which the Urban Institute estimates to be 12.3 million households, or about 30 percent of all renters nationwide," according to Merle. "Once the moratorium lapses, landlords can give their delinquent tenants 30 days’ notice and then begin filing eviction paperwork in late August."

The article includes expert insight about the potential for the end of the moratorium to cause a wave of evictions and economic struggles in the country, adding to the evictions and housing insecurity already facing renters and property owners all over the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently announced a housing toolkit to offer support for renters and property owners covered by the federal eviction moratorium, in anticipation of Friday's expiration date.

As noted by Merle, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $100 billion in renter relief as part of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which the Senate has yet to consider. "Last week, Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) unveiled a sweeping housing plan that would ban evictions and foreclosures for a year while giving tenants up to 18 months to pay back missed payments," according to Merle. Information about the legislation proposed by Senate Harris is available in an article by Katy O'Donnell.