Landlords Seek $1.5B Payback for Eviction Moratorium

0:00On May 3, landlords hit hard by the pandemic eviction moratorium are pushing for government payback. Back in September 2020 to July 2021, the CDC banned evictions nationwide, costing owners billions in lost rent. Now over 1,500 property owners have sued, claiming it violated their 5th Amendment rights by taking their income without compensation. One Texas landlord alone lost over 1 million dollars. They first lost in lower court back in 2022, but won on appeal. Sediment talks with the Justice Department are underway, with landlords eyeing up to 1.5 billion dollars, a slice of the 57. Billion they say got wiped out. Owners like those in Texas and Vegas described chaos, barring cash, delaying fixes, even selling properties to survive. Many laid off workers and now screen tenants' way stricter, turning away riskier folks because evictions drag on for months. Minute advocates push back hard, saying the bands kept millions housed in curb virus

1:03spread. They point to 46.5 billion in rental aid that flow to landlords, though owners argue it came too slow with too much red tape. These fights highlight the moratoriums lasting scars on both sides, from tighter markets to fraud worries. As talks continue, it could set big rules for future crises, balancing business rights with emergency aid.