President Biden and the CDC extend national eviction moratorium to March 31

The eviction and foreclosure moratorium enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that was due to expire on Jan. 31 has been extended through at least March 31 by President Joe Biden.

Tucked inside one of the three dozen executive orders the president has signed since taking office is an extension on the moratorium, which was issued on Sept. 4 to reduce the possibility of further spread of the COVID-19 virus due to homelessness.

The original moratorium expired Dec. 31, 2020. It was extended through Jan. 31 as part of a $900 billion relief package signed by President Donald Trump on Dec. 27.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health,” wrote CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky in the order announcing the extension. “It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.

“Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace,” Walensky wrote. “We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings — like shelters — where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.”

As before, renters need to supply their landlords with an executed declaration form stating loss of income or other hardship caused by the pandemic. To qualify, renters must have earned no more than $99,000 in annual income for the calendar year of 2020-2021 (or no more than $198,000 in annual income for couples who file taxes jointly).

The moratorium does not forgive outstanding rent or accrued interest and requires the applicant to pay at least a portion of their monthly rent. The moratorium only bans evictions and foreclosures related to non-payment and does not include non-monetary evictions such as noise or destruction of property.

Although more than 2,000 Writs of Possession — the final legal step that allows a landlord to remove a tenant and take back their property — have been issued in Miami-Dade, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she has no plans to end the moratorium issued by former Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez banning the Miami-Dade Police Department from carrying out evictions.