WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court says a pause on evictions designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus can remain in place for now.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a bid by Alabama and Georgia Realtors to block the eviction moratorium reinstated earlier this month.
The landlords filed an emergency motion hours later with the Supreme Court, urging the justices to allow evictions to proceed.
In June, the high court voted 5-4 to allow the moratorium to continue through the end of July. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh warned the administration not to act further without explicit congressional approval.
The White House applauded the Court of Appeals decision.
"We are pleased that the circuit court joined the district court in leaving the moratorium in place that is keeping hard-pressed Americans in their homes in areas of substantial or high COVID-19 spread," said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
