NATIONWIDE –  Following up on a directive from the Trump administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday declared that U.S. landlords cannot evict “covered persons” from residential dwellings for failure to pay rent.

What You Need To Know

  • CDC directive to protect some renters from eviction through December 2020

  • In order to qualify, renters must meet 4 criteria 

  • Millions of Americans face eviction in the coming months

  • Critic states move only postpones eviction proceedings 

The directive protects tenants through 2020.

The move comes at a time when eviction moratoriums put in place by federal, state, and local governments are rapidly expiring. A recent study shows that roughly renters live in households which have suffered COVID-19-related job loss and that millions more are at risk of being evicted in the coming months.

Senior Trump administration officials stated that the CDC director has broad powers to take reasonable actions to prevent the spread of communicable disease. The CDC’s stated goal is to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

So, who qualifies for eviction protection? According to the CCD, renters must meet the following four criteria:

  • Have an income of $198,000 or less for couples filing jointly, or $99,000 for single filers.
  • Demonstrate they have sought government assistance to make their rental payments.
  • Affirmatively declare they are unable to pay rent because of COVID-19 hardships.
  • Affirm they are likely to become homeless if they are evicted.

According to Trump administration officials, local courts will resolve disputes between renters and landlords concerning whether the moratorium applies in a particular case.

Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said the order will provide relief for millions of anxious families, but added that the action delays rather than prevents evictions.

“While an eviction moratorium is essential, it is a half-measure that extends a financial cliff for renters to fall off when the moratorium expires and back rent is owed,” Yentel tweeted.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.