[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 31, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16731-16738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06718]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further 
Spread of COVID-19

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Agency order.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located 
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the 
extension of an Order under Section 361 of the Public Health Service 
Act to temporarily halt residential evictions to prevent the further 
spread of COVID-19.

DATES: This Order is effective April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiffany Brown, Acting Deputy Chief of 
Staff, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS H21-10, Atlanta, GA 30329. Phone: 404-639-7000. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This Order further extends the original temporary eviction 
moratorium Order published on September 4, 2020, as initially extended 
by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and further extended by 
the Order published on January 29, 2021 set to expire on March 31, 
2021, with modifications through June 30, 2021. Because of COVID-19, 
household crowding and transmission, and the increased risk of 
individuals sheltering in close quarters in congregate settings such as 
homeless shelters, which may be unable to provide adequate social 
distancing as populations increase, extending the temporary halt on 
evictions, subject to further extension, modification, or rescission, 
is appropriate.
    The Order is extended through June 30, 2021 based on current and 
projected epidemiological context of SARS-CoV-2 transmission throughout 
the United States. Although daily incidence of COVID-19 decreased and 
plateaued between January and March 25, 2021, widespread transmission 
continues at high levels, making the Order still necessary, especially 
given that previous plateaus have led to secondary and tertiary phases 
of acceleration.
    A copy of the Order is provided below. A copy of the signed Order 
and the Declaration can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-eviction-declaration.html.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Department of Health and 
Human Services

Order Under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
264) and 42 Code of Federal Regulations 70.2

Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread 
of COVID-19

Summary

    Subject to the limitations under ``Applicability,'' a landlord, 
owner of a residential property, or other person \1\ with a legal right 
to pursue eviction or possessory action, shall not evict any covered 
person from any residential property in any jurisdiction to which this 
Order applies during the effective period of the Order.
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    \1\ For purposes of this Order, ``person'' includes 
corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, 
societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals.
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Definitions

    ``Available government assistance'' means any governmental rental 
or housing payment benefits available to the individual or any 
household member.
    ``Available housing'' means any available, unoccupied residential 
property, or other space for occupancy in any seasonal or temporary 
housing, that would not violate federal, state, or local occupancy 
standards and that would not result in an overall increase of housing 
cost to such individual.
    ``Covered person'' \2\ means any tenant, lessee, or resident of a 
residential property who provides to their landlord, the owner of the 
residential property, or other person with a legal right to pursue

[[Page 16732]]

eviction or a possessory action,\3\ a declaration under penalty of 
perjury indicating that:
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    \2\ This definition is based on factors that are known to 
contribute to evictions and thus increase the need for individuals 
to move into close quarters in new congregate or shared living 
arrangements or experience homelessness. Individuals who suffer job 
loss, have limited financial resources, are low income, or have high 
out-of-pocket medical expenses are more likely to be evicted for 
nonpayment of rent than others not experiencing these factors. See 
Desmond, M., Gershenson, C., Who gets evicted? Assessing individual, 
neighborhood, and network factors, Soc Sci Res. 2017;62:362-377. 
doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.08.017, (identifying job loss as a 
possible predictor of eviction because renters who lose their jobs 
experience not only a sudden loss of income but also the loss of 
predictable future income). According to one survey, over one 
quarter (26%) of respondents also identified job loss as the primary 
cause of homelessness. See 2019 San Francisco Homeless Count & 
Survey Comprehensive Report, Applied Survey Research, at 22, https://hsh.sfgov.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2019HIRDReport_SanFrancisco_FinalDraft-1.pdf. (last viewed Mar. 24, 
2021).
    \3\ As used throughout this Order, this would include, without 
limitation, an agent or attorney acting on behalf of the landlord or 
the owner of the residential property.
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    (1) The individual has used best efforts to obtain all available 
government assistance for rent or housing;
    (2) The individual either (i) earned no more than $99,000 (or 
$198,000 if filing jointly) in Calendar Year 2020, or expects to earn 
no more than $99,000 in annual income for Calendar Year 2021 (or no 
more than $198,000 if filing a joint tax return),\4\ (ii) was not 
required to report any income in 2020 to the U.S. Internal Revenue 
Service, or (iii) received an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus 
check).5 6
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    \4\ According to one study, the national two-bedroom housing 
wage in 2020 was $23.96 per hour (approximately, $49,837 annually), 
meaning that an hourly wage of $23.96 was needed to afford a modest 
two-bedroom house without spending more than 30% of one's income on 
rent. The hourly wage needed in Hawaii (the highest cost U.S. State 
for rent) was $38.76 (approximately $80,621 annually). See Out of 
Reach: How Much do you Need to Earn to Afford a Modest Apartment in 
Your State?, National Low Income Housing Coalition, https://reports.nlihc.org/oor (last visited Mar. 23, 2021). As further 
explained herein, because this Order is intended to serve the 
critical public health goal of preventing evicted individuals from 
potentially contributing to the interstate spread of COVID-19 
through movement into close quarters in new congregate, shared 
housing settings, or though homelessness, the higher income 
thresholds listed here have been determined to better serve this 
goal.
    \5\ ``Stimulus check'' includes payments made pursuant to 
Section 2201 of the CARES Act, to Section 9601 of the American 
Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or to any similar federally authorized 
payments made to individual natural persons in 2020 and 2021. 
Eligibility for the 2020 or 2021 stimulus checks has been based on 
an income that is equal to or lower than the income thresholds 
described above and does not change or expand who is a covered 
person under this Order since it was entered into on September 4, 
2020.
    \6\ A person is likely to qualify for protection under this 
Order if they receive the following benefits: (a) Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); (b) Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program (SNAP); (c) Supplemental Security Income (SSI); 
or (d) Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI) to the extent 
that income limits for these programs are less than or equal to the 
income limits for this Order. However, it is the individual's 
responsibility to verify that their income is within the income 
limits described.
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    (3) The individual is unable to pay the full rent or make a full 
housing payment due to substantial loss of household income, loss of 
compensable hours of work or wages, a lay-off, or extraordinary \7\ 
out-of-pocket medical expenses;
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    \7\ Extraordinary expenses are defined as those that prevented 
you from paying some or all of your rent or providing for other 
basic necessities like food security. To qualify as an extraordinary 
medical expense, the unreimbursed medical expense is on that is 
likely to exceed 7.5% of one's adjusted gross income for the year.
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    (4) The individual is using best efforts to make timely partial 
payments that are as close to the full payment as the individual's 
circumstances may permit, taking into account other nondiscretionary 
expenses; and
    (5) Eviction would likely render the individual homeless--or force 
the individual to move into and live in close quarters in a new 
congregate or shared living setting--because the individual has no 
other available housing options.
    ``Evict'' and ``Eviction'' means any action by a landlord, owner of 
a residential property, or other person with a legal right to pursue 
eviction or possessory action, to remove or cause the removal of a 
covered person from a residential property. This definition also does 
not prohibit foreclosure on a home mortgage.
    ``Residential property'' means any property leased for residential 
purposes, including any house, building, mobile home or land in a 
mobile home park,\8\ or similar dwelling leased for residential 
purposes, but shall not include any hotel, motel, or other guest house 
rented to a temporary guest or seasonal tenant as defined under the 
laws of the state, territorial, tribal, or local jurisdiction.
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    \8\ Mobile home parks may also be referred to as manufactured 
housing communities.
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    ``State'' shall have the same definition as under 42 CFR 70.1, 
meaning ``any of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.''
    ``U.S. territory'' shall have the same definition as under 42 CFR 
70.1, meaning ``any territory (also known as possessions) of the United 
States, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.''

Statement of Intent

    This Order shall be interpreted and implemented in a manner as to 
achieve the following objectives:
     Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 within crowded, 
congregate or shared living settings, or through unsheltered 
homelessness;
     Mitigating the further spread of COVID-19 from one state 
or territory into any other state or territory;
     Mitigating the further spread of COVID-19 by temporarily 
suspending the eviction of covered persons from residential property 
for nonpayment of rent; and
     Supporting response efforts to COVID-19 at the federal, 
state, local, territorial, and tribal levels.

Background

    There is currently a pandemic of a respiratory disease (``COVID-
19'') caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) that has now spread 
globally, including cases reported in all fifty states within the 
United States, plus the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. As 
of March 25, 2021, there have been almost 125 million cases of COVID-19 
globally, resulting in over 2,700,000 deaths.\9\ Over 29,700,000 cases 
have been identified in the United States, with new cases reported 
daily, and over 540,000 deaths due to the disease.\10\ Although 
transmission has decreased since a peak in January 2021, the current 
number of cases per day remains almost twice as high as the initial 
peak in April 2020 and transmission rates are similar to the second 
peak in July 2020.
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    \9\ COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and 
Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Johns Hopkins 
Coronavirus Resource Center, https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html 
(last visited Mar. 25, 2021).
    \10\ COVID Data Tracker, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home (last visited Mar. 25, 2021).
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    The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads very easily and sustainably 
between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 
6 feet), mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected 
person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Individuals without symptoms can also 
spread the virus.\11\ Among adults, the risk for severe illness from 
COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Severe 
illness means that persons with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, 
intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, and may be fatal. 
People of any age with certain underlying medical conditions (e.g. 
cancer, obesity, serious heart conditions, or diabetes) are at 
increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.\12\
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    \11\ Johansson MA, Quandelacy TM, Kada S, et al. SARS-CoV-2 
Transmission From People Without COVID-19 Symptoms. JAMA Netw Open. 
2021;4(1):e2035057. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.35057
    \12\ People with Certain Medical Conditions, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html (last 
updated Mar. 15, 2021).
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    COVID-19 presents a historic threat to public health, and COVID-19 
cases have been detected in every county in the continental United 
States.\13\ Between December 2020 and January 2021, the number of 
deaths per day from COVID-19 consistently exceeded any other

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cause.\14\ Although transmission levels have decreased since January, 
between February 25 and March 25, 2021, the daily incidence of COVID-19 
remained comparable to the summer peak of transmission in July 2020, 
which is higher than the daily incidence when the Order initially took 
effect in September, 2020. Furthermore, 37% of counties in the United 
States are categorized as experiencing ``high'' transmission (over 100 
cases per 100,000 people or greater than 10% test positivity) and an 
additional 30% of counties are categorized as experiencing 
``substantial'' transmission (50-99.99 cases per 100,000 people or 8-
9.99% test positivity).\15\ No counties are currently considered free 
of spread, and only 8% of counties are considered to have low 
transmission.\16\
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    \13\ US COVID-19 cases and deaths by state, USAFacts, https://usafacts.org/visualizations/coronavirus-covid-19-spread-map/ (last 
visited Mar. 24, 2021).
    \14\ Woolf SH, Chapman DA, Lee JH. COVID-19 as the Leading Cause 
of Death in the United States. JAMA. 2021;325(2):123-124. 
doi:10.1001/jama.2020.24865.
    \15\ COVID-19 Integrated County View, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view (last visited Mar. 22, 2021).
    \16\ Id.
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    Two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccination became available in December 
2020 and as of March 27, 2021 over 50 million people in the United 
States (more than 15% of the population) have been fully immunized.\17\ 
In February 2021, a single dose COVID-19 vaccine also became available. 
CDC continues to update guidance for COVID-19 precautions among 
individuals who have been fully vaccinated; however, currently there 
are no recommended changes to COVID-19 prevention recommendations 
related to activities in public, such as avoiding crowded and poorly 
ventilated places. This is particularly important given continued 
transmission. Even as COVID-19 vaccines continue to be distributed, it 
remains critical to maintain COVID-19 precautions to avoid further 
rises in transmission and to guard against yet another increase in the 
rates of new infections. It is important to note that despite higher 
rates of vaccine coverage, the simultaneous roll-back of community 
mitigation efforts may continue to expose vulnerable populations, such 
as those targeted in this Order, to higher-than-average COVID-19 rates. 
It is important to note that despite higher rates of vaccine coverage, 
the simultaneous roll-back of community mitigation efforts may continue 
to expose vulnerable populations, such as those targeted in this Order, 
to higher-than-average COVID-19 rates.\18\
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    \17\ Id.
    \18\ COVID Data Tracker, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home (last visited Mar. 25, 2021).
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    In recent months, new variants of SARS-CoV-2 have also emerged 
globally.\19\ Epidemiological evaluation of these variants shows 
increased transmissibility as well as possible increased mortality. The 
current substantial levels of transmission and the emergence of 
variants highlight the persistent and dynamic nature of the pandemic 
and the need for continued protections.
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    \19\ Abdool Karim SS, de Oliveira T. New SARS-CoV-2 Variants--
Clinical, Public Health, and Vaccine Implications [published online 
ahead of print, 2021 Mar 24]. N Engl J Med. 2021;10.1056/
NEJMc2100362. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2100362.
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    To respond to this public health threat, Federal, state, and local 
governments have taken unprecedented or exceedingly rare actions, 
including border closures, restrictions on travel, stay-at-home orders, 
mask requirements, and eviction moratoria. In particular, the COVID-19 
pandemic has triggered unprecedented restrictions on interstate and 
foreign travel. For example, many states require travelers arriving 
from other states to obtain negative test results and/or quarantine 
upon arrival.\20\ For international travel, all passengers age two or 
older--including U.S. citizens--must obtain a negative test result or 
show proof of recovery before they may board a flight to the United 
States.\21\ Despite the need for travel precautions, airport use has 
increased in recent weeks, leading to heightened concerns of interstate 
transmission.\22\ SARS-CoV-2 transmission, behavior change, and travel 
restrictions have devastated industries that depend on the movement of 
people, such as the travel, leisure, and hospitality.\23\ Ten months 
after the initial wave of closures due to COVID-19, over 16 percent of 
the hospitality and leisure sector's labor force was unemployed.\24\ 
The persistent spread of COVID-19 continues to necessitate preventive 
action.
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    \20\ Travel During COVID-19, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html (last updated Feb. 16, 2021).
    \21\ Id.
    \22\ Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder, CDC Urges Americans to Avoid 
Travel as Airport Screenings Approach Pandemic Peak, U.S. News, 
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-03-22/cdc-urges-americans-to-avoid-travel-as-airport-screenings-approach-pandemic-peak (last visited Mar. 26, 2021).
    \23\ Aaron Klein & Ember Smith, Explaining the economic impact 
of COVID-19: Core industries and the Hispanic workforce, Brookings 
Institute, https://www.brookings.edu/research/explaining-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19-core-industries-and-the-hispanic-workforce/ (last visited Mar. 23, 2021).
    \24\ Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea31.htm (last updated Mar. 5, 2021).
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    In the context of a pandemic, eviction moratoria--like quarantine, 
isolation, and social distancing--can be an effective public health 
measure utilized to prevent the spread of communicable disease. 
Eviction moratoria facilitate self-isolation by people who become ill 
or who are at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 due to an 
underlying medical condition. They also allow state and local 
authorities to more easily implement, as needed, stay-at-home and 
social distancing directives to mitigate the community spread of COVID-
19.
    Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act (Pub. L. 116-136) to aid individuals and businesses 
adversely affected by COVID-19 in March 2020. Section 4024 of the CARES 
Act provided a 120-day moratorium on eviction filings as well as other 
protections for tenants in certain rental properties with federal 
assistance or federally related financing. These protections helped 
alleviate the public health consequences of tenant displacement during 
the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act eviction moratorium expired on 
July 24, 2020. The protections in the CARES Act supplemented temporary 
eviction moratoria and rent freezes implemented by governors and other 
local officials using emergency powers. Researchers estimated that this 
temporary federal moratorium provided relief to a material portion of 
the nation's roughly 43 million renters.\25\ The CARES act also 
provided funding streams for emergency rental assistance; surveys 
estimate that this assistance became available to the public through 
rental assistance programs by July 2020.\26\
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    \25\ See CARES Act Eviction Moratorium, Congressional Research 
Service, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11320 
(last visited Mar. 23, 2021).
    \26\ Vincent Reina et al., COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance: 
Analysis of a National Survey of Programs, Research Brief, https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/HIP_NLIHC_Furman_Brief_FINAL.pdf (last 
visited Mar. 26, 2021).
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    The federal moratorium provided by the CARES Act, however, did not 
reach all renters. Many renters who fell outside the scope of the 
Federal moratorium were instead protected under state and local 
moratoria. In August, it was estimated that as many as 30-40 million 
people in America could be at risk of eviction.\27\ In early

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March, 2021, the Census Household Pulse Survey estimated that over 4 
million adults who are not current on rent perceive that they are at 
imminent risk of eviction.\28\ A wave of evictions on that scale would 
be unprecedented in modern times.\29\ A large portion of those who are 
evicted may move into close quarters in shared housing or, as discussed 
below, become homeless, thus becoming at higher risk of COVID-19.
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    \27\ See Emily Benfer et al., The COVID-19 Eviction Crisis: An 
Estimated 30-40 Million People in America are at Risk, Aspen 
Institute, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/the-covid-19-eviction-crisis-an-estimated-30-40-million-people-in-america-are-at-risk/ (last visited Mar. 23, 2021).
    \28\ Household Pulse Survey, United States Census Bureau, 
https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVR (last 
visited Mar. 25, 2021).
    \29\ As a baseline, approximately 900,000 renters are evicted 
every year in the United States. Princeton University Eviction Lab. 
National Estimates: Eviction in America, The Eviction Lab: Princeton 
University, https://evictionlab.org/national-estimates/ (last 
visited Mar. 24, 2021).
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    On September 4, 2020, the CDC Director issued an Order temporarily 
halting evictions in the United States for the reasons described 
therein. That Order was set to expire on December 31, 2020, subject to 
further extension, modification, or rescission. Section 502 of Title V, 
Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 extended the 
Order until January 31, 2021. With the extension of the Order, Congress 
also provided $25 billion for emergency rental assistance for the 
payment of rent and rental arrears. Congress later provided an 
additional $21.55 billion in emergency rental assistance when it passed 
the American Rescue Plan.
    On January 29, 2021, following an assessment of the ongoing 
pandemic, the CDC Director renewed the Order until March 31, 2021. This 
Order further extends and modifies the prior Eviction Moratoria until 
June 30, 2021, for the reasons described herein, subject to revision 
based on the changing public health landscape. To the extent any 
provision of this Order conflicts with prior Orders, this Order is 
controlling.
    Researchers estimate that, in 2020, Federal, state, and local 
eviction moratoria led to over one million fewer evictions than the 
previous year.\30\ Additional research shows that, despite the CDC 
eviction moratorium leading to an estimated 50% decrease in eviction 
filings compared to the historical average, there have still been over 
100,000 eviction filings since September, suggesting high demand and 
likelihood of mass evictions.\31\
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    \30\ Pete Hepburn & Renee Louis, Preliminary Analysis: Six 
Months of the CDC Eviction Moratorium, The Eviction Lab: Princeton 
University, https://evictionlab.org/six-months-cdc/ (last visited 
Mar. 26, 2021).
    \31\ Id.
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Eviction and Risk of COVID-19 Transmission

    Evicted renters must move, which leads to multiple outcomes that 
increase the risk of COVID-19 spread. Specifically, many evicted 
renters move into close quarters in shared housing or other congregate 
settings. According to the Census Bureau American Housing Survey, 32% 
of renters reported that they would move in with friends or family 
members upon eviction, which would introduce new household members and 
potentially increase household crowding. Studies show that COVID-19 
transmission occurs readily within households. The secondary attack 
rate in households has been estimated to be 17%, and household contacts 
are estimated to be 6 times more likely to become infected by an index 
case of COVID-19 than other close contacts. A study of pregnant women 
in New York City showed that women in large households (greater number 
of residents per household) were three times as likely to test positive 
for SARS-CoV-2 than those in smaller households, and those in 
neighborhoods with greater household crowding (>1 resident per room) 
were twice as likely to test positive.
    Throughout the United States, counties with the highest proportion 
of crowded households have experienced COVID-19 mortality rates 2.6 
times those of counties with the lowest proportion of crowded 
households.
    Shared housing is not limited to friends and family. It includes a 
broad range of settings, including transitional housing and domestic 
violence and abuse shelters. Special considerations exist for such 
housing because of the challenges of maintaining social distance. 
Residents often gather closely or use shared equipment, such as kitchen 
appliances, laundry facilities, stairwells, and elevators. Residents 
may have unique needs, such as disabilities, chronic health conditions, 
cognitive decline, or limited access to technology, and thus may find 
it more difficult to take actions to protect themselves from COVID-19. 
CDC recommends that shelters provide new residents with a clean mask, 
keep them isolated from others, screen for symptoms at entry, or 
arrange for medical evaluations as needed depending on symptoms. 
Accordingly, an influx of new residents at facilities that offer 
support services could potentially overwhelm staff and, if 
recommendations are not followed, lead to exposures.
    Preliminary modeling projections and observational data from COVID-
19 incidence comparisons across states that implemented and lifted 
eviction moratoria indicate that evictions substantially contribute to 
COVID-19 transmission. In mathematical models where eviction led 
exclusively to sharing housing with friends or family, lifting eviction 
moratoria led to a 40% increased risk of contracting COVID-19 among 
people who were evicted and those with whom they shared housing after 
eviction (pre-peer review). Compared to a scenario where no evictions 
occurred, the models also predicted a 5-50% increased risk of 
infection, even for those who did not share housing, as a result of 
increased overall transmission. The authors estimated that anywhere 
from 1,000 to 100,000 excess cases per million population could be 
attributable to evictions depending on the eviction and infection 
rates.
    An analysis of observational data from state-based eviction 
moratoria in the 43 states and the District of Columbia showed 
significant increases in COVID-19 incidence and mortality approximately 
2-3 months after eviction moratoria were lifted (pre-peer review). 
Specifically, the authors compared the COVID-19 incidence and mortality 
rates in states that lifted their moratoria with the rates in states 
that maintained their moratoria. In these models, the authors 
controlled for time-varying indicators of each state's test count as 
well as major public-health interventions including lifting stay-at-
home orders, school closures, and mask mandates. After adjusting for 
these other changes, they found that the incidence of COVID-19 in 
states that lifted their moratoria was 1.6 times that of states that 
did not at 10 weeks post-lifting (95% CI 1.0, 2.3), a ratio that grew 
to 2.1 at >=16 weeks (CI 1.1, 3.9). Similarly, they found that 
mortality in states that lifted their moratoria was 1.6 times that of 
states that did not at 7 weeks post-lifting (CI 1.2, 2.3), a ratio that 
grew to 5.4 at >=16 weeks (CI 3.1, 9.3). The authors estimated that, 
nationally, over 433,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 10,000 deaths could 
be attributed to lifting state moratoria.\32\
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    \32\ Leifheit, Kathryn M. and Linton, Sabriya L. and Raifman, 
Julia and Schwartz, Gabriel and Benfer, Emily and Zimmerman, 
Frederick J and Pollack, Craig, Expiring Eviction Moratoriums and 
COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality (November 30, 2020). Available at 
SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3739576 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3739576.

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    Although data are limited, available evidence suggests evictions 
lead to interstate spread of COVID-19 in two ways. First, an eviction 
may lead the evicted members of a household to move across state lines. 
Of the 35 million Americans who move each year, 15% move to a new 
state. Second, even if a particular eviction, standing alone, would not 
always result in interstate displacement, the mass evictions that would 
occur in the absence of this Order would inevitably increase the 
interstate spread of COVID-19. This Order cannot effectively mitigate 
interstate transmission of COVID-19 without covering intrastate 
evictions, as the level of spread of SARS-CoV-2 resulting from these 
evictions can lead to SARS-CoV-2 transmission across state borders. 
Moreover, intrastate spread facilitates interstate spread in the 
context of communicable disease spread, given the nature of infectious 
disease. In the aggregate, the mass-scale evictions that will likely 
occur in the absence of this Order will inevitably increase interstate 
spread of COVID-19.

Eviction, Homelessness, and Risk of Severe Disease From COVID-19

    Evicted individuals without access to support or other assistance 
options may become homeless, including older adults or those with 
underlying medical conditions, who are more at risk for severe illness 
from COVID-19 than the general population. In Seattle-King County, 5-
15% of people experiencing homelessness between 2018 and 2020 cited 
eviction as the primary reason for becoming homeless. Additionally, 
some individuals and families who are evicted may originally stay with 
family or friends, but subsequently seek homeless services. Among 
people who entered shelters throughout the United States in 2017, 27% 
were staying with family or friends beforehand.
    People experiencing homelessness are at high risk for COVID-19. It 
may be more difficult for these persons to consistently access the 
necessary resources to adhere to public health recommendations to 
prevent COVID-19. For instance, it may not be possible to avoid certain 
congregate settings such as homeless shelters, or easily access 
facilities to engage in handwashing with soap and water.
    Extensive outbreaks of COVID-19 have been identified in homeless 
shelters. In Seattle, Washington, a network of three related homeless 
shelters experienced an outbreak that led to 43 cases among residents 
and staff members. In Boston, Massachusetts, universal COVID-19 testing 
at a single shelter revealed 147 cases, representing 36% of shelter 
residents. COVID-19 testing in a single shelter in San Francisco led to 
the identification of 101 cases (67% of those tested). Data from 557 
universal diagnostic testing events at homeless shelters in 21 states 
show an average of 6% positivity among shelter clients. Data comparing 
the incidence or severity of COVID-19 among people experiencing 
homelessness directly to the general population are limited. However, 
during the 15-day period of the outbreak in Boston, MA, researchers 
estimated a cumulative incidence of 46.3 cases of COVID-19 per 1000 
persons experiencing homelessness, as compared to 1.9 cases per 1000 
among Massachusetts adults (pre-print).
    CDC guidance recommends increasing physical distance between beds 
in homeless shelters. To adhere to this guidance, shelters have limited 
the number of people served throughout the United States. In many 
places, considerably fewer beds are available to individuals who become 
homeless. Shelters that do not adhere to the guidance, and operate at 
ordinary or increased occupancy, are at greater risk for the types of 
outbreaks described above. The challenge of mitigating disease 
transmission in homeless shelters has been compounded because some 
organizations have chosen to stop or limit volunteer access and 
participation.
    In the context of the current pandemic, large increases in 
evictions resulting in homelessness could have at least two potential 
negative consequences. One is if homeless shelters increase occupancy 
in ways that increase the exposure risk to COVID-19. The other is if 
homeless shelters limit new admissions, leading to increases in 
unsheltered homelessness, which is associated with significantly 
heightened risk of mortality generally. Neither consequence is in the 
interest of the public health.
    Additionally, research suggests that the population of persons who 
would be evicted and those experiencing homelessness may be at risk of 
severe disease from COVID-19. Five studies have shown an association 
between eviction and hypertension, which has been associated with more 
severe outcomes from COVID-19. Also, people experiencing homelessness 
often have underlying conditions that increase their risk of severe 
outcomes of COVID-19. Among patients with COVID-19, homelessness has 
been associated with increased likelihood of hospitalization.
    In short, evictions threaten to increase the spread of COVID-19 as 
they force people to move, often into close quarters in new shared 
housing settings with friends or family, or congregate settings such as 
homeless shelters. The ability of these settings to adhere to best 
practices, such as social distancing and other infection control 
measures, decreases as populations increase.

Modifications

    In addition to extending the effective period of the prior orders, 
this Order makes several modifications. A description of each 
modification follows:
    CDC added a statement in the ``Statement of Intent'' section 
consistent with the clarification of the ``Evict'' and ``Eviction'' 
definitions. The statement now specifically clarifies that one intended 
purpose of this Order is to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by 
temporarily suspending the eviction of covered persons from residential 
property for nonpayment of rent.
    CDC modified the ``Applicability'' section to add the following 
points:
    A signed declaration submitted under a previous order remains valid 
notwithstanding the issuance of this extended and modified order, and 
covered persons do not need to submit a new declaration under this 
Order. Evictions for nonpayment of rent initiated prior to September 4, 
2020, but not yet completed are subject to this Order, but those that 
were completed before September 4, 2020, are not subject to the Order. 
While the Order does not prohibit evictions for engaging in criminal 
activity while on the leased premises, covered persons may not be 
evicted on the sole basis that they are alleged to have committed the 
crime of trespass (or similar state-law offense) where the underlying 
activity is a covered person remaining in a residential property 
despite nonpayment of rent. Individuals who are confirmed to have, who 
have been exposed to, or who might have COVID-19 and take reasonable 
precautions to not spread the disease should not be evicted on grounds 
that they pose a health or safety threat to other residents.
    Even if a particular eviction, standing alone, would not always 
result in interstate displacement, the mass evictions that would occur 
in the absence of this Order would inevitably increase the interstate 
spread of COVID-19. Moreover, increases in intrastate spread further 
facilitate interstate spread in the context of communicable disease 
spread.
    The ``Background,'' ``Eviction and Risk of COVID-19 Infection'' and 
``Eviction, Homelessness, and Risk of Severe Disease from COVID-19''

[[Page 16736]]

subsections have been revised to reflect updated epidemiological and 
other relevant information in support of this Order.
    CDC added a new section titled ``Declaration Forms'' with the 
following points:
    To qualify as a covered person eligible for the protections of this 
Order, a tenant, lessee, or resident of a residential property must 
provide a completed and signed copy of a declaration with the elements 
listed in the definition of ``Covered Person'' to their landlord, owner 
of the residential property where they live, or other person who has a 
right to have them evicted or removed.
    Tenants, lessees, or residents of a residential property may use 
any written document in place of the Declaration Form if it includes 
the required information as in the Form, is signed, and includes a 
perjury statement.
    Tenants, lessees, or residents of a residential property can use a 
form translated into other Languages.
    In some circumstances, it may be appropriate for one member of the 
residence to provide an executed declaration on behalf of the other 
adult residents who are party to the lease, rental agreement, or 
housing contract.
    CDC modified the ``Findings and Action'' section to, among other 
things, further explain that this Order is not a rule within the 
meaning of the Administrative Procedure Act and, to the extent a court 
finds that the Order qualifies as a rule, there is good cause to 
dispense with prior public notice and comment.

Applicability

    This Order does not apply in any state, local, territorial, or 
tribal area with a moratorium on residential evictions that provides 
the same or greater level of public-health protection than the 
requirements listed in this Order or to the extent its application is 
prohibited by federal court order. In accordance with 42 U.S.C. 264(e), 
this Order does not preclude state, local, territorial, and tribal 
authorities from imposing additional requirements that provide greater 
public-health protection and are more restrictive than the requirements 
in this Order.
    This Order is a temporary eviction moratorium to prevent the 
further spread of COVID-19. This Order does not relieve any individual 
of any obligation to pay rent, make a housing payment, or comply with 
any other obligation that the individual may have under a tenancy, 
lease, or similar contract. Nothing in this Order precludes the 
charging or collecting of fees, penalties, or interest as a result of 
the failure to pay rent or other housing payment on a timely basis, 
under the terms of any applicable contract. Nothing in this Order 
precludes evictions based on a tenant, lessee, or resident: (1) 
Engaging in criminal activity while on the premises; (2) threatening 
the health or safety of other residents; \33\ (3) damaging or posing an 
immediate and significant risk of damage to property; (4) violating any 
applicable building code, health ordinance, or similar regulation 
relating to health and safety; or (5) violating any other contractual 
obligation, other than the timely payment of rent or similar housing-
related payment (including non-payment or late payment of fees, 
penalties, or interest).
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    \33\ Individuals who might have COVID-19 are advised to stay 
home except to get medical care. Accordingly, individuals who might 
have COVID-19 and take reasonable precautions to not spread the 
disease should not be evicted on the ground that they may pose a 
health or safety threat to other residents. See What to Do if You 
are Sick, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html (last updated Mar. 17, 2021).
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    A signed declaration submitted under a previous order remains valid 
notwithstanding the issuance of this extended and modified order, and 
covered persons do not need to submit a new declaration under this 
Order.
    Any evictions for nonpayment of rent initiated prior to September 
4, 2020, but not yet completed, are subject to this Order. Any tenant, 
lessee, or resident of a residential property who qualifies as a 
``Covered Person'' and is still present in a rental unit is entitled to 
protections under this Order. Any eviction that was completed prior to 
September 4, 2020, is not subject to this Order.
    Under this Order, covered persons may be evicted for engaging in 
criminal activity while on the premises. But covered persons may not be 
evicted on the sole basis that they are alleged to have committed the 
crime of trespass (or similar state-law offense) where the underlying 
activity is a covered person remaining in a residential property for 
nonpayment of rent. Permitting such evictions would result in 
substantially more evictions overall, thus increasing the risk of 
disease transmission as otherwise covered persons move into congregate 
settings or experience homelessness. This result would be contrary to 
the stated objectives of this Order, and therefore would diminish their 
effectiveness. Moreover, to the extent such criminal trespass laws are 
invoked to establish criminal activity solely based on a tenant, 
lessee, or resident of a residential property remaining in a 
residential property despite the nonpayment of rent, such invocation 
conflicts with this Order and is preempted pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 
264(e).
    Individuals who are confirmed to have, who have been exposed to, or 
who might have COVID-19 and take reasonable precautions to not spread 
the disease may not be evicted on grounds that they may pose a health 
or safety threat to other residents.
    The Order is extended through June 30, 2021, based on the current 
and projected epidemiological context of SARS-CoV-2 transmission 
throughout the United States. Although daily incidence of COVID-19 
decreased and plateaued between January and March 25, 2021, widespread 
transmission continues at high levels, making the Order still 
necessary, especially given that previous plateaus have led to 
secondary and tertiary phases of acceleration. Furthermore, the number 
of deaths per day continues at levels comparable to or higher than when 
this Order was established in September 2020.\34\ This 90-day extension 
will allow the assessment of natural changes to COVID-19 incidence, the 
influences of new variants, and the expansion of COVID-19 vaccine 
coverage to determine if there is a continued need for a national 
eviction moratorium.
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    \34\ Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US 
Reported to CDC, by State/Territory, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendsdeaths (last visited Mar. 22, 2021).
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Declaration Forms

    To qualify for the protections of this Order, a tenant, lessee, or 
resident of a residential property must provide a completed and signed 
copy of a declaration with the elements listed in the definition of 
``Covered person'' to their landlord, owner of the residential property 
where they live, or other person who has a right to have them evicted 
or removed from where they live. To assist tenants and landlords, the 
CDC created a standardized declaration form that can be downloaded 
here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/declaration-form.pdf.
    Tenants, lessees, and residents of residential property are not 
obligated to use the CDC form. Any written document that an eligible 
tenant, lessee, or residents of residential property presents to their 
landlord will comply with this Order, as long as it contains the 
required elements of ``Covered person'' as described in this order. In 
addition, tenants, lessees, and residents

[[Page 16737]]

of residential property are allowed to declare in writing that they 
meet the elements of covered person in other languages.
    All declarations, regardless of form used, must be signed, and must 
include a statement that the tenant, lessee, or resident of a 
residential property understands that they could be liable for perjury 
for any false or misleading statements or omissions in the declaration. 
This Order does not preclude a landlord challenging the truthfulness of 
a tenant's, lessee's, or resident's declaration in court, as permitted 
under state or local law.
    In certain circumstances, such as individuals filing a joint tax 
return, it may be appropriate for one member of the residence to 
provide an executed declaration on behalf of the other adult residents 
party to the lease, rental agreement, or housing contract. The 
declaration may be signed and transmitted either electronically or by 
hard copy.

Findings and Action

    For the reasons described herein, I am extending and modifying the 
September 4, 2020 Order, as extended by section 502 of Title V, 
Division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and further 
extended by the January 29, 2021 Order. I have determined that 
extending the temporary halt in evictions in this Order constitutes a 
reasonably necessary measure under 42 CFR 70.2 to prevent the further 
spread of COVID-19 throughout the United States. I have further 
determined that measures by states, localities, or territories that do 
not meet or exceed these minimum protections are insufficient to 
prevent the interstate spread of COVID-19.\35\
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    \35\ In the United States, public health measures are 
implemented at all levels of government, including the federal, 
state, local, and tribal levels. Publicly-available compilations of 
pending measures indicate that eviction moratoria and other 
protections from eviction have expired or are set to expire in many 
jurisdictions. COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard, The Eviction Lab: 
Princeton University, https://evictionlab.org/covid-policy-scorecard/ (last visited Mar. 23, 2021).
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    Based on the convergence of COVID-19, household crowding and 
transmission, and the increased risk of individuals sheltering in close 
quarters in congregate settings such as homeless shelters, which may be 
unable to provide adequate social distancing as populations increase, I 
have determined that extending the temporary halt on evictions is 
appropriate.
    Therefore, under 42 CFR 70.2, subject to the limitations under the 
``Applicability'' section, the September 4, 2020 Order is hereby 
modified and extended through June 30, 2021.
    Accordingly, a landlord, owner of a residential property, or other 
person with a legal right to pursue eviction or possessory action shall 
not evict any covered person from any residential property in any state 
or U.S. territory in which there are documented cases of COVID-19 that 
provides a level of public-health protections below the requirements 
listed in this Order.
    This Order is not a rule within the meaning of the Administrative 
Procedure Act (APA) but rather an emergency action taken under the 
existing authority of 42 CFR 70.2. The purpose of section 70.2, which 
was promulgated through notice-and-comment rulemaking, is to enable CDC 
to take swift steps to prevent contagion without having to seek a 
second round of public comments and without a delay in effective 
date.\36\
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    \36\ Chambless Enters., LLC v. Redfield, No. 20-1455, 2020 WL 
7588849, (W.D. La. 2020).
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    In the event that this Order qualifies as a rule under the APA, 
notice and comment and a delay in effective date are not required 
because there is good cause to dispense with prior public notice and 
comment and the opportunity to comment on this Order and the delay in 
effective date. See 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). Considering the public 
health emergency caused by COVID-19, it would be impracticable and 
contrary to the public health, and by extension the public interest, to 
delay the issuance and effective date of this Order.
    In the September 4, 2020 Order, the previous CDC Director 
determined that good cause existed because the public health emergency 
caused by COVID-19 made it impracticable and contrary to the public 
health, and by extension the public interest, to delay the issuance and 
effective date of the Order. The previous Director also found that a 
delay in the effective date of the Order would permit the occurrence of 
evictions--potentially on a mass scale--that would have potentially 
significant consequences. For these reasons, the previous Director 
concluded that the delay in the effective date of the Order would 
defeat the purpose of the Order and endanger the public health and, 
therefore, determined that immediate action was necessary. As a result, 
the previous Director issued the Order without prior notice and comment 
and without a delay in the effective date. I made similar findings in 
the January 29, 2021 Order.
    As noted above, although transmission levels have decreased since 
January, between February 25, 2021 and March 25, 2021, the daily 
incidence of COVID-19 remained comparable to the summer peak of 
transmission in July 2020. Daily incidence in the last 30 days has 
remained consistently higher than the daily incidence when the Order 
took effect in September 2020. Furthermore, 37% of counties in the 
United States are categorized as experiencing ``high'' transmission 
(over 100 cases per 100,000 people or greater than 10% test positivity) 
and an additional 30% of counties are categorized as experiencing 
``substantial'' transmission (50-99.99 cases per 100,000 people or 8-
9.99% test positivity). No counties are currently considered free of 
spread, and only 8% of counties are considered to have low 
transmission. Because of these reasons and because the current 
extension is set to expire on March 31, 2021, I hereby conclude that 
immediate action is again necessary without prior notice and comment 
and without a delay in the effective date.
    The rapidly changing nature of the pandemic requires not only that 
CDC act swiftly, but also deftly to ensure that its actions are 
commensurate with the threat. This necessarily involves assessing 
evolving conditions that inform CDC's determinations.
    Although the pandemic is dynamic and the situation evolves over 
time, the fundamental public health threat that existed on September 4, 
2020, and January 29, 2021--the risk of large numbers of residential 
evictions contributing to the spread of COVID-19 throughout the United 
States--continues to exist. Without this Order, there is every reason 
to expect that evictions will increase. It is imperative that public 
health authorities act quickly to help ward off an unprecedented wave 
of evictions, which would threaten new spikes in SARS-CoV-2 
transmission at a critical juncture in fight against COVID-19. Such 
mass evictions and the attendant public-health consequences would be 
very difficult, if not impossible, to reverse. It would be 
impracticable and contrary to the public interest to delay the issuance 
and effective date of the Order pending notice-and-comment rulemaking 
for the reasons described herein, and because of the ever-changing 
landscape of the pandemic and the uncertainty of whether Congress would 
grant another extension as it did in December 2020.
    Similarly, if this Order qualifies as a rule under the APA, the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has determined that 
it would be an economically significant regulatory

[[Page 16738]]

action pursuant to Executive Order 12866 and a major rule under the 
Congressional Review Act (CRA). But there would not be a delay in its 
effective date. CDC has determined that for the same reasons, there 
would be good cause under the CRA to make the requirements herein 
effective immediately. Thus, this action has been reviewed by OIRA.
    If any provision of this Order, or the application of any provision 
to any persons, entities, or circumstances, shall be held invalid, the 
remainder of the provisions, or the application of such provisions to 
any persons, entities, or circumstances other than those to which it is 
held invalid, shall remain valid and in effect.
    This Order shall be enforced by federal authorities and cooperating 
state and local authorities through the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 3559, 
3571; 42 U.S.C. 243, 268, 271; and 42 CFR 70.18. However, this Order 
has no effect on the contractual obligations of renters to pay rent and 
shall not preclude charging or collecting fees, penalties, or interest 
as a result of the failure to pay rent or other housing payment on a 
timely basis, under the terms of any applicable contract.

Criminal Penalties

    Under 18 U.S.C. 3559, 3571; 42 U.S.C. 271; and 42 CFR 70.18, a 
person violating this Order may be subject to a fine of no more than 
$100,000 or one year in jail, or both, if the violation does not result 
in a death, or a fine of no more than $250,000 or one year in jail, or 
both if the violation results in a death, or as otherwise provided by 
law. An organization violating this Order may be subject to a fine of 
no more than $200,000 per event if the violation does not result in a 
death or $500,000 per event if the violation results in a death or as 
otherwise provided by law. The U.S. Department of Justice may initiate 
criminal proceedings as appropriate seeking imposition of these 
criminal penalties.

Notice to Cooperating State and Local Officials

    Under 42 U.S.C. 243, the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services is authorized to cooperate with and aid state and local 
authorities in the enforcement of their quarantine and other health 
regulations and to accept state and local assistance in the enforcement 
of federal quarantine rules and regulations, including in the 
enforcement of this Order.

Notice of Available Federal Resources

    While this Order to prevent eviction is effectuated to protect the 
public health, the states and units of local government are reminded 
that the Federal Government has deployed unprecedented resources to 
address the pandemic, including housing assistance.
    The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the 
Department of Agriculture, and Treasury have informed CDC that 
unprecedented emergency resources have been appropriated through 
various Federal agencies that assist renters and landlords during the 
pandemic, including $46.55 billion to the Treasury through the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan 
(ARP). Furthermore, in 2020 44 states and 310 local jurisdictions 
allocated about $3.9 billion toward emergency rental assistance, 
largely from funds appropriated to Treasury and HUD from the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES).\37\ These three 
rounds of federal appropriations also provided substantial resources 
for homeless services, homeowner assistance, and supplemental stimulus 
and unemployment benefits that low income renters used to pay rent.
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    \37\ Vincent Reina et al., COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance: 
Analysis of a National Survey of Programs, Research Brief, https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/HIP_NLIHC_Furman_Brief_FINAL.pdf (last 
visited Mar. 26, 2021).
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    Visit https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares/state-and-local-governments for more information about the Coronavirus Relief 
Fund and https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares/emergency-rental-assistance-program for more information about the Emergency 
Rental Assistance Program. HUD has further informed CDC that 
forbearance policies for mortgages backed by the federal government are 
in effect until June 30, 2021, which provide many landlords, especially 
smaller landlords, with temporary relief as new emergency rental 
assistance programs are deployed.
    HUD, USDA and Treasury grantees and partners play a critical role 
in prioritizing efforts to support this goal. As grantees decide how to 
deploy CDBG-CV and ESG-CV funds provided by the new funding from the 
CARES Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and ARP all 
communities should assess what resources have already been allocated to 
prevent evictions and homelessness through temporary rental assistance 
and homelessness prevention, particularly to the most vulnerable 
households.
    HUD stands at the ready to support American communities take these 
steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and maintain economic 
prosperity. For program support, including technical assistance, please 
visit www.hudexchange.info/program-support. For further information on 
HUD resources, tools, and guidance available to respond to the COVID-19 
pandemic, state and local officials are directed to visit https://www.hud.gov/coronavirus. These tools include toolkits for Public 
Housing Authorities and Housing Choice Voucher landlords related to 
housing stability and eviction prevention, as well as similar guidance 
for owners and renters in HUD-assisted multifamily properties. 
Furthermore, tenants can visit consumerfinance.gov/housing for up-to-
date information on rent relief options, protections, and key 
deadlines.

Effective Date

    This Order is effective on April 1, 2021, and will remain in effect 
through June 30, 2021, subject to revision based on the changing public 
health landscape.

    Authority: The authority for this Order is Section 361 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264) and 42 CFR 70.2.

    Dated: March 29, 2021.
Sherri Berger,
Acting Chief of Staff, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2021-06718 Filed 3-29-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P