The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Biden’s most recent moratorium on evictions, putting an end to a constant political and legal dispute during the coronavirus pandemic. The court issued an eight-page majority opinion, which is unusual in a ruling on application for emergency relief, according to the New York Times. The court’s three liberal justices […]
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Biden’s most recent moratorium on evictions, putting an end to a constant political and legal dispute during the coronavirus pandemic.
The court issued an eight-page majority opinion, which is unusual in a ruling on application for emergency relief, according to the New York Times. The court’s three liberal justices dissented.
“The C.D.C. has imposed a nationwide moratorium on evictions in reliance on a decades-old statute that authorizes it to implement measures like fumigation and pest extermination,” the unsigned opinion reads. “It strains credulity to believe that this statute grants the C.D.C. the sweeping authority that it asserts.”
“These questions call for considered decision-making, informed by full briefing and argument,” Justice Stephen Breyer, on behalf of the three dissenting justices, wrote. “Their answers impact the health of millions. We should not set aside the C.D.C.’s eviction moratorium in this summary proceeding.”
On the other hand, the majority said the issues were considered and straightforward.
“It is indisputable that the public has a strong interest in combating the spread of the Covid-19 Delta variant,” the opinion reads. “But our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends.”
“If a federally imposed eviction moratorium is to continue, Congress must specifically authorize it,” it continues.
The decision ultimately delivers a major win to landlords who were slapped with billions of dollars in debt during the pandemic.
