Listen Live

(CNN) — The Biden administration extended the federal ban on evictions that was set to expire at the end of June by a month. This is intended to be the final extension of the eviction moratorium, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued the order.

The extension, signed by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, comes as vaccination rates slow and the effects of the pandemic continue to linger. The moratorium aims to keep people in their homes and out of crowded settings — like homeless shelters — as a way to help stop the spread of Covid-19. This marks the fourth time the deadline for lifting the ban has been pushed back.

President Joe Biden had been pressured by Congressional Democrats to keep the eviction moratorium in place as the nation continues to emerge slowly from the pandemic. Administration advisers discussed the matter over the past week and decided that another month with eviction protection is needed to get the billions of dollars in federal assistance funds distributed to renters.

The additional 30 days are accompanied by a push across several agencies to keep renters and homeowners stably housed. The administration is also working to accelerate and broaden the state and local delivery of emergency rental assistance, and encouraging state courts to adopt anti-eviction diversion practices that aim to benefit tenants, landlords, and the courts themselves.

Separately, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) are expected to announce a one-month extension of the moratorium on foreclosures for federally backed mortgages. This extension is also expected to last until July 31.