It what many see as a win for landlords, a federal judge has struck down the national eviction moratorium, citing the Centers for Disease Control does not have the authority to issue such a ban.
According to the New York Times, the decision by Judge Dabney Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was immediately appealed by the Justice Department. The Department also requested an emergency stay on the order. Late Wednesday night, the stay was granted.
With several lawsuits on the ban working their way through various courts, it’s unclear how Judge Friedrich’s decision will impact renters when the stay is lifted on May 12.
Landlords say the decision validates arguments that the ban oversteps the government’s power.
The initial eviction ban was imposed by the Trump administration last year early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, and later extended by President Biden until June 30, 2021.