Landlords suing to push back against eviction ban
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — As millions of Americans struggle to pay their rent during the coronavirus pandemic, landlords are going to courts, claiming that the national eviction moratorium unfairly strains their finances and violates their property rights.
At least 26 such lawsuits have been filed by property owners this year, including several federal challenges of President Donald Trump’s directive, delivered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that broadly prevents evictions through the end of 2020.
In Memphis, seven landlords who together manage or own more than 5,000 rental units sued this month, accusing Trump and other federal officials of unconstitutionally violating their due process protections and wrongly preempting state laws. The National Apartment Association joined a separate federal lawsuit this month in Georgia against the CDC. Another legal battle has been filed in Ohio.
“All plaintiffs have tenants in units who are delinquent in the payment of rent and who would be otherwise lawfully evicted from the units ... but for the halt order,” the complaint in Memphis says. These landlords are required by law to spend money on repairs and upkeep of the rental homes, but aren't getting federal help under the ban, it says.
Housing advocates worry that overturning these bans could cause homelessness to spike, forcing people to crowd into indoor spaces and shelters and worsening the spread of infection.
The CDC's directive, which took effect Sept. 4, is based on the agency's broad powers to protect public health. The agency put it in the context of other historic, unprecedented and exceedingly rare government responses to the pandemic, and said stopping evictions is an effective way of preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
To be eligible...
