The United States' Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued an order on September 1, 2020 to temporarily halt evictions nationally through the end of December 31, 2020. (see CDC order here)

But without action from governors in each state, it’s a little too late. The agency’s order recognizes how big a crisis but its process to protect those in need does not match the crisis of this moment. Millions of poor and working class people across the country who could lose our homes need immediate action now from their local governments.

As per usual, the government is giving us the short end of the stick. Although the CDC order is historic, in its admitting the need for a temporary halt on evictions, it simply is not enough to protect us from losing our homes.

We need to cancel rent and mortgage payments now — ​​​​millions of us have lost our jobs and need to remain quarantined for public safety during the pandemic. As a society we cannot tolerate to have millions of us go homeless while a small handful of wealthy profiteers get richer during this pandemic. It is unacceptable.

We demand that Governors in each state step up and protect the most vulnerable as directed by the CDC. They need to take immediate executive action to place strong emergency eviction moratoriums at the state-level to protect all residents from losing their homes. Unless we come together to force governors to take action, millions of people will lose their homes by the end of this year and cause a ripple effect far more devastating than the 2008 recession.

The moratorium will cover tenants who fall into one of these categories:

• expect to earn less than $98k individually or $198k as a household this year;
• received a stimulus check; OR,  
• were not required to report income in 2019.

The moratorium DOES NOT protect tenants from:

• being evicted for reasons “other than nonpayment of rent”
• being charged “fees, penalties, or interest as a result of the failure to pay rent or other housing payment on a timely basis”

If you or someone you know are facing eviction and need to declare a moratorium, be sure to fill out the CDC Declaration Form as it is now required.

We're calling for a just COVID-19 relief and recovery by upholding these five principles:

1. Peoples' health is the TOP priority, for all people, with no exceptions.
2. Provide economic relief directly to the people.
3. Rescue workers and communities, not corporate executives.
4. Make a down payment on a regenerative economy, while preventing future crises.
5. Protect our democratic process while protecting each other.

The COVID-19 pandemic demands swift and unprecedented action from local to federal government. The depth of the crisis and the scope of the response mean that choices being made right now will shape our society for years, if not decades to come. As policymakers take steps to ensure immediate relief and long-term recovery, it is imperative that they consider the interrelated crises of wealth inequality, racism, and ecological decline, which were in place long before COVID-19, and now risk being intensified. This is a time to be decisive in saving lives, and bold in charting a path to a genuinely healthier and more equitable future through a just recovery.