ToplineTuesday's Supreme Court decision not to lift the nationwide ban on evictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was not a good one. This protection, which had been in place during a pandemic, was contested by some property-owners. The moratorium will expire next month and the CDC has stated that it does not plan to extend it.Maricopa County Constable Darlene Martinez helps a family move out of their apartment in Phoenix after they have served an... [+] eviction notice for non-payment on September 30, 2020. Getty ImagesThe Key FactsThe court's Tuesday evening ruling was issued in a one-page opinion without explanation. Four of nine justices on the court dissented: Clarence Thomas (conservative), Samuel Alito (prominent), Amy Coney Barrett (conservative) and Neil Gorsuch (liberal). In May, a federal judge ruled against the eviction moratorium. The judge argued that the CDC does not have the authority unilaterally to stop evictions. However, she issued an emergency stay putting her decision in limbo while the federal government appeals the decision. This stay was reaffirmed by the Circuit Court of Appeals earlier in May. A group of property owners and realtors asked the Supreme Court for an order to lift the stay and effectively strike down the moratorium. The court refused Tuesday.What to WatchThe current eviction moratorium expires on July 31. Although the CDC extended the deadline to June from July last week to allow for more time, the agency stated that this was the final extension to the moratorium.Surprising FactJustice Brett Kavanaugh stated that he believes the CDC overstepped its authority in stopping evictions. However, he still sided alongside Chief Justice John Roberts as well as the three judges of the courts who voted to keep the moratorium in effect. The policy is slated for an end in one month and will be up until the federal rental assistance funds are distributed in the weeks between.Important BackgroundThe CDC temporarily banned landlords from kicking out tenants earning less than $99,000 per year because of nonpayment of rent. This follows a similar ban in March 2020 CARES Act. Covid-19 was the motivating factor behind the moratorium. It caused millions of Americans to lose jobs and raised concerns about a national surge in evictions. However, some realtors and landlords have resisted the policy and argued that it was legally inadmissible and financially disastrous for smaller landlords.Large Number14% This is the percentage of renters in the United States who reported to the Census Bureau late May or early June that they were behind on rent payments.
