Hello everyone,
About a week ago, only Sussex County would not have been covered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s extension of a moratorium on Covid-19-related evictions.
Over the past week, Delaware’s situation changed with an uptick in cases. It wasn’t long before New Castle and Kent joined Sussex in the orange zone that denotes “substantial” spread and now qualifies under the moratorium extension announced yesterday.
Meanwhile, most federal funds aimed at helping landlords and tenants weather the storm remain unspent due to red tape and a lack of awareness of the program.
The latest extension came after the House adjourned without extending the moratorium. Progressive Democrats put pressure on the Biden Administration to do something, even though the legality of the new CDC extension remains doubtful.
If Delaware was experiencing an outbreak similar to the one in Florida, the number of people in hospitals would total 550. The current figure is fewer than 50.
Earlier, the Supreme Court allowed the moratorium to continue until the end of July. However, the justice who cast the deciding vote indicated he would not look favorably on an extension if Congress did not approve one.
The CDC and the Biden Administration argue that the rising number of cases from the Delta variant led to an emergency.
The case is harder to make when comparing Delaware to the current hotspot, Florida.
Hospitalizations in the Sunshine State for Covid-19 at last report total 11,500. If Delaware were experiencing an outbreak similar to Florida’s, the number of people in hospitals would total 550. The current figure here remains below 50.
We can expect landlord associations to sue to end the moratorium.
The Biden Administration acknowledged that the moratorium could be overturned but hopes it can buy some time in avoiding mass evictions.
A wave of evictions here is unlikely, even if the moratorium is overturned.
According to one report, Delaware is considered one of the most tenant-friendly of the 50 states, ranking second in that category.
Here’s hoping you had a chance to enjoy the milder weather before a more typical August returns. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
