Texas Renters Fear Eviction As Federal Moratorium Ends

ACROSS TEXAS — After four extensions and numerous challenges in court, the federal moratorium protecting Texas renters from eviction during the pandemic is set to expire in just a few days.

The moratorium, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officially ends July 31. The most recent extension was issued in June, and federal officials have indicated they have no plans to extend it again.

While some states have given renters a few additional weeks of protection, millions remain worried about losing their homes.

Days before the moratorium ends, more than 1.4 million Americans are saying it’s very likely they’ll be evicted from their homes in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

On top of that, about 4.9 million renters say they have no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month, while 7.4 million are still trying to catch up on rent payments.

While the federal government has funneled more than $46 billion in assistance to the country’s renters during the course of the pandemic, distributing that money has proved difficult. In some cases, the money never reached its intended recipients.

Ultimately, little has been done to curb an all-but-certain wave of eviction proceedings once the moratorium is lifted. Meanwhile, the White House is pushing state and municipal governments to do everything they can to stave off an eviction crisis.

“It’s fundamentally the responsibility of state and local governments to get relief in the hands of renters and landlords,” Susan Rice, director of the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, said during an early July meeting.

Here’s what’s happening in Texas as the end of the federal eviction moratorium draws near:

Anxiety Among Texas Renters Is High

Renters in Texas share the same fears as others across the nation. Over 242,000 renters in our state are saying it’s very likely they’ll be evicted from their homes in the next two months.

Meanwhile, 585,116 renters say they have no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month and 619,061 are still trying to catch up on rent payments, according to the Census Bureau.

Evictions Could Spike Post-Moratorium

Perhaps unsurprisingly, evictions in Texas and in other states across the country dropped in 2020, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

In a typical year, landlords file about 3.7 million eviction cases in court; however, from March to December 2020, eviction filings were down 65 percent in cities and states tracked by the Eviction Lab.

This was especially true in states and municipalities that prohibited landlords from taking the first steps of the eviction process, which included issuing eviction notices or filing cases in court.

Now, experts say an eviction crisis is “looming” in the United States.

Through its research, the Princeton University group noted that evictions spiked during short periods throughout the pandemic where no moratorium was in effect. For example, in the two weeks between the end of CARES Act coverage and the start of a moratorium extension, evictions were up 68 percent from the historical average. By Aug. 30, filings had returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The increase, researchers say, suggests landlords were acutely aware of what moratoriums were in place and were ready to kick out tenants who hadn’t paid their rent as soon as it was legally allowed.

Around 16 percent of adult renters were not current on their housing payments as of July 2021, according to an analysis by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

“We’re going to see what we’ve been managing to stave off: this wave of evictions that is just going to crush some of these areas,” John Pollock, coordinator of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, told CNBC.

Renters Of Color More At Risk

While fewer eviction cases have been filed throughout the pandemic, Black and Latino renters — particularly female renters — remain disproportionately at risk of being filed against for eviction and being evicted, according to the Eviction Lab.

Eviction Lab data showed that filings after March 15, 2020, targeted the same communities and individuals who were most at risk of eviction prior to the pandemic.

Notably, Black renters received a disproportionate share of all eviction filings. While Black renters make up 22.8 percent of all renters tracked by the Eviction Lab, they were subject to 35.2 percent of all eviction filings between March 15 and Dec. 31.

The Status Of Eviction Protection In Texas

Are Texas officials doing anything to prevent an eviction crisis? While the federal moratorium expires July 31, the Texas Supreme Court extended the Texas Eviction Diversion Program until Oct. 1 in an emergency order July 19, according to the Texas Tribune.

The program allows up to 15 months of rent and utilities assistance if both the landlord and tenant agree in court to pursue state assistance. After that, evictions can be stayed for up to 60 days. If approved landlords would receive payments for past-due rent and late fees, while tenants would be able to stay in the residence.

Landlords can decide to restart eviction proceedings any time in that 60-day period.

What Renters Can Do

While the process of finding and securing aid varies across states, the Treasury Department has published a list of state, local and tribal government emergency rental-assistance programs to help people find relief.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also issued guidance for renters, landlords and homeowners.

For renters, the bureau offers advice on paying rent and utilities, as well as talking to your landlord about a payment agreement. It also outlines what you can do to avoid eviction and goes through your rights as a tenant.