On Thursday, June 24th, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) extended its federal eviction moratorium (previously set to expire on June 30th) through July 31, 2021. The agency stated in its announcement that this latest extension of the moratorium, which has been in place since September 2020 under the CDC’s powers during a public health emergency, is intended to be the last.

While a court overturned the moratorium in May, saying the CDC did not have the authority to implement such action, the CDC appealed and the court has allowed the eviction moratorium to remain in place pending the appeal. It is unlikely that the appeal will be heard before July 31st.

Virginia REALTORS^® strongly encourages housing providers to utilize the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) to provide rental assistance for any eligible tenant who has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia REALTORS^® worked closely with the Governor’s administration, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and Virginia Housing to make the RRP more efficient for housing providers. While several states have struggled to get rent relief programs off the ground, with the guidance of the Virginia REALTORS^®, the commonwealth has already distributed more than $150 million in assistance.

Members should also continue to visit the Virginia REALTORS^® COVID-19 resource webpage for more information.