A COURT will decide on whether Joe Biden’s Covid eviction ban can stay in place, giving hope to renters struggling during the pandemic.
The three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for Washington, DC, set a schedule that requests a final decision be made by Thursday.
This comes after lawyers for realtors in Alabama and Georgia filed a request seeking to overturn a 60-day eviction ban ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 3.
The appeals court said the Justice Department has until Tuesday at 9am to reply, and the lawyers for the real estate groups will then have until Wednesday at 9am.
The court is expected to rule by Thursday.
Lawyers for the real estate groups cited President Biden‘s past statements when requesting a quick ruling.
“As the president himself acknowledged, the CDC’s latest extension is little more than a delay tactic designed to buy time to distribute rental assistance,” the group said.
On August 3, three days after the prior one expired, the CDC issued an eviction moratorium banning the practice for another 60 days.
More than 15million people are currently behind on rental payments, a recent study found, and collectively owe more than $20billion to landlords.
On Friday, the White House urged state and local governments to distribute $46.5billion in emergency rental assistance funds approved by Congress to those in need in their areas.
OTHER AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE
According to the Department of the Treasury, those eligible to receive the funds include low and middle-income households and renters who lost money or are facing difficulty finding a new home due to the pandemic.
If that applies to you, you should begin gathering documentation and submit a rent aid application as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, many struggling families will also be able to take advantage of the expanded Child Tax Credit.
Checks began going out on July 15 and will go out every month until the end of the year.
Parents can expect up to $300 per child under the age of six and up to $250 per child for kids aged six to 17.
Single parents who earn less than $75,000 and married couples who earn less than $150,000 can expect the full amount.
The amount begins to decrease for families with higher incomes, tapering by $50 for every $1,000 the family makes over the income limit.
