The Supreme Court just (finally) stood up for property rights against the CDC’s lawlessness

FEE's Brad Polumbo writes, "When it comes to upholding Americans’ constitutional rights, late isn’t good enough. But it’s still better than never. With its Thursday ruling striking down the federal government’s so-called 'eviction moratorium,' the Supreme Court is finally doing its job—and standing up for Americans' basic property rights.

The Centers for Disease Control policy in question prohibited landlords from evicting non-paying tenants in many circumstances, all in the name of stopping the spread of COVID-19. It began in September 2020 and threatens non-compliant landlords with penalties of up to a year in jail and $100,000 in fines. The policy did not, however, place a 'moratorium” on landlords' mortgage payments and bills. As a result, it has ruined countless middle-and-working class landlords and turned the rental market upside down.

Here’s hoping that next time, the Supreme Court doesn’t wait so long to do its job.

The Supreme Court Just (Finally) Stood Up for Property Rights against the CDC’s Lawlessnesshttps://t.co/Zl0Qy8t87P — Brad Polumbo ??⚽️ ?️‍? (@brad_polumbo) August 30, 2021

With its ruling this week, the Supreme Court ended the moratorium and ruled in favor of the landlords who took it to court.

'The moratorium has put the applicants, along with millions of landlords across the country, at risk of irreparable harm by depriving them of rent payments with no guarantee of eventual recovery,' the court’s unsigned majority opinion reads.

'Despite the CDC’s determination that landlords should bear a significant financial cost of the pandemic, many landlords have modest means. And preventing them from evicting tenants who breach their leases intrudes on one of the most fundamental elements of property ownership—the right to exclude.”

Read the entire column here.