August 5, 2021: -On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that it would extend the federal eviction moratorium on October 3, 2021, after the ban lapsed in the weekend.

The announcement came after pressure from House Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. Previously, the White House said Biden did not have the authority to extend the ban, given a June Supreme Court ruling that said only Congress could enact such a ban. Congressional Democrats did not appear to have enough votes to do so, and the House is currently in recess.

Now, the CDC will instead issue a ban in counties “experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels” of Covid-19, which will cover an estimated 90% of renters, according to Sen. Chuck Schumer D-N.Y.

The White House is also calling on state and local governments to do everything they can to get out the $46 billion in emergency rental relief Congress has allocated. So far, only an estimated $3 billion has been disbursed.

The extended moratorium should give states the time they need to get the money out, says Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

“This is a tremendous relief for millions of people who were on the cusp of losing their homes and, with them, their ability to stay safe in the pandemic,” Yentel says.

An estimated 11 million adults are currently behind on their rental payments. Since the moratorium expired two days ago, housing attorneys said there had already been an uptick in eviction filings.