For Immediate Release
Aug. 27, 2021

Contact:
press@populardemocracy.org

“The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the lifesaving eviction moratorium is a devastating blow to tenants across the country. Millions of people are now in danger of losing their homes, putting their lives and their family’s lives at risk as the Delta variant spreads throughout our communities. Over eight million renters are currently behind on rent. With no national and few local protections for families at risk of eviction, millions are at risk of being pushed into homelessness or unsafe housing as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens. The Supreme Court’s decision particularly threatens to harm Black and Brown communities that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have long experienced racist and discriminatory housing practices. 

Congress and the Biden Administration must take immediate action to ensure protections and safe housing for everyone throughout the duration of the pandemic by passing an immediate and universal eviction moratorium until December 2021.” 

Below please find additional quotes from leaders in Center for Popular Democracy’s network: 

“This is a very sad day. The eviction moratorium was never enough to protect Florida families. It protected certain people and not all renters. It should have provided protection to the average renter, everyone with a mortgage, and people in government housing.

So many families will be forced into shelters and homelessness. The elected officials that allowed this to happen should be ashamed of themselves.” - Bishop Donald Harper, member of Florida Rising and father of seven who was evicted last year

“No Floridian should be evicted in the middle of a pandemic when we have the rent money to keep everyone housed. Elected officials in our backyards, in Tallahassee, and in Washington have the power to prevent a mass eviction crisis with bold and swift action starting right now. Congress must pass a federal moratorium, local, and state leaders must stop all eviction orders and release our rent now.” - Ivanna Gonzalez, Director of Campaigns, Florida Rising

“The decision to end the moratorium without funds that aid working people is a clear-cut sign that we, the people, are not important. How can the government act as if this was a crisis created by tenants? Many of the tenants that are facing eviction are disabled and seniors. Where is the concern about them? Where are they going to go if they are evicted?

There has always been a housing crisis. We the people who are overworked, underpaid and struggling, need to stand up and fight back or this system will continue to make decisions that only cater to big businesses. The actions from this government are truly deplorable and we will not stand for this! We are calling on Congress to act like they care and show us they do by enacting a moratorium to protect tenants and urge landlords to accept funds!”- Apryl Lewis, housing organizer, Action North Carolina 

"Quedé devastada, vi en las noticias que habían suspendido la orden y quedé sorprendida. Hay ayudas en los condados y hay gente que no quiere dar tiempo a que el condado apruebe la ayuda y quieren poner a la gente en la calle. Tengo en la mente que tarde o temprano se va armar un caos. Hay familias que todavía no se recuperan del COVID. Se nos hace duro completar la renta. Me siento de verdad bien impactada, no lo esperaba. Ahora las cortes pueden decir que sí, que nos pueden desalojar y sacarnos a todos a la calle con todo y niños. Viene la variante delta, que es peor, y ni vacunas hay para niños todavía. Desalojarnos durante este momento nos pone en extremo riesgo de muerte.” - Karla Rodriguez, member of CASA, Riverdale Park, Maryland

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The Center for Popular Democracy is a national network of more than 50 community organizations dedicated to achieving racial and economic justice through local grassroots organizing. CPD trains and supports leadership, staff, and members to grow base-building organizations to scale and leverage that strength to win cutting-edge policy victories at the federal, state and local level.