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On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that his administration will be giving struggling renters a reprieve. The eviction moratorium is a CDC  Agency Order titled, "Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19.” 

The new eviction moratorium is designed to keep millions of Americans in their homes during the coming months who may be struggling as a result of the pandemic, which has caused massive job loss. It takes effect immediately and applies through Dec. 31, 2020.

This is an aggressive relief measure and will be a total ban on evictions of tenants who are unable to pay rent because of COVID-19. This will temporarily save millions of U.S. renters from being evicted. 

The CDC, acting under its authority to regulate public health, is covering all 43 million U.S. residential renters. But they must meet income-eligibility requirements.

On Aug. 6, after Congress failed to enact new coronavirus legislation, President Trump tasked the CDC and other federal agencies with finding a way to stop evictions during the pandemic. The CARES Act previously served as a federal moratorium on evictions, but it expired at the end of July.

Almost every expert has proposed a halt to evictions. But negotiations had broken down in Congress. And no new legislation was passed.

Who qualifies and what is required?     

• It applies to households that expect to earn no more than $99,000 (individuals) or $198,000 (filing a joint tax return) in 2020.
• Applies to individuals that were not required to report any income to the IRS in 2019.
• If you have received an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check) according to Section 2201 of the CARES Act it applies to you.

Tenants will be required to file sworn declarations that eviction would leave them homeless or force them into “close quarters in a new congregate or shared living setting.”  And they must state they’ve “used best efforts to obtain all available government assistance for rent or housing.”

To be clear, renters who qualify will still owe accrued rent. And the new order doesn’t prevent landlords from charging or collecting rent. This action delays but does not prevent evictions.

It is a good stop-gap measure until Congress and the White House can agree on another COVID-19 relief bill.

Evictions for reasons other than nonpayment of rent will be allowed to proceed. If a lease term expires or if a tenant is in default of the lease they can still be evicted.

The CDC order works with existing state legislation. Some states already have generous protections and they would remain in place. Others, like the rent moratorium in New York, that’s set to expire Oct. 1, would be extended.