White House calls on states to prevent evictions

WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House is moving to pressure state and local governments to swiftly adopt policies to protect renters after an eviction moratorium expired over the weekend. That could potentially push millions of Americans out of their homes.

In a statement on Monday, the White House emphasized that the federal government has provided $46.5 billion to keep renters in their homes. But it accused states and cities of being “too slow to act,” preventing that aid from making its way to tenants whose livelihoods have been upended by the pandemic.

The focus on states comes as President Joe Biden faces stinging criticism, including from some in his own party, that he was was slow to address the end of the moratorium.