Supreme Court Ends Eviction Moratorium With 6-3 Vote

The Supreme Court voted 6-3 Thursday to end a federal eviction moratorium that was recently extended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The eviction freeze applied to parts of the country experiencing significant COVID-19 spread; the CDC extended it on Aug. 3 to run through Oct. 3, bypassing Congressional approval. The majority of the court agreed that "...It is up to Congress, not the CDC, to decide whether the public interest merits further action here." White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that the White House is disappointed by the ruling and calls on "cities and states, local courts, landlords, Cabinet agencies...to urgently act to prevent evictions." The high court's decision stemmed from a legal challenge to the extension mounted by landlords and real estate groups.

The news was covered prominently across the spectrum, but especially by left- and center-rated outlets. Coverage often differed significantly between left and right. Reports from left-rated sources often framed the Supreme Court's decision as questionable in the context of the pandemic, and focused on people who have struggled to make rent payments since the pandemic began. Coverage from right-rated outlets often highlighted that the extended ban did not have Congressional approval, as well as struggling landlords who have lost money during the moratorium.