CDC orders sweeping ban on evictions due to coronavirus as thousands of Michigan tenants faced homelessness

Tenants who have lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic are protected from eviction for the rest of the year under an order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The order comes two weeks after Detroit’s ban on evictions expired. Since then, 36th District Court has been bracing for thousands of evictions because Detroiters have been hit disproportionately hard by losses tied to the pandemic.

Since the state’s moratorium on evictions expired on July 16, landlord have filed at least 7,000 evictions cases, according to The Associated Press.

Under the CDC order, tenants making less than $99,000 a year – or couples earning under $198,000 a year – would be protected from evictions if they’ve lost income from the pandemic, are in danger of becoming homeless, and have sought government assistance to make rental payments.

The order is intended to help stop the spread of the coronavirus by avoiding evicted tenants from entering shelters and other crowded living conditions.

"This is a good step; it's a positive step," Ted Phillips, executive director with United Community Housing Coalition, told The Associated Press. "But there certainly needs to be a whole lot more (financial aid) because we are still going to have problems in January."

Eligible tenants are still on the hook for rent and could be evicted if they aren't caught up on by Jan. 1.

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