The following announcement was sent from Nancie-Ann Bodell, Deputy Administrator, Multifamily Housing, Rural Housing Service:

Multifamily Housing Partners,

We appreciate your commitment to providing quality affordable housing through this difficult time.  You may have seen news reports that the CDC’s temporary halt in residential evictions has been challenged in court.  We would like to remind RD Multifamily Owners and Management Agents that the moratorium remains in effect at least through May 16, 2021 due to an administrative stay.  At this time, RD tenants may not be evicted for nonpayment of rent, assuming they meet the CDC’s criteria outlined below in our March 30, 2021 GovDelivery posting (see a copy below).

We will keep you informed as we learn more.

March 30, 2021

Multifamily Housing Partners,

Thank you for your ongoing dedication to providing quality housing to tenants. We wanted to bring to your attention that the CDC extended their notice on a Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions, published in the Federal Register on September 4, 2020 and authorized under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 264 and 42 CFR 70.2. The notice is now extended through JUNE 30, 2021.

This letter is a reminder of the CDC’s requirements and its application on Rural Development Multifamily Housing programs. We strongly encourage you to read CDC notice in its entirety to fully understand CDC’s requirements.  This halt in residential evictions applies to tenants in Rural Development MFH properties who certify to their landlord that they meet the following CDC criteria:

• • All adults in the household have attempted to obtain any available government assistance for rent
  • The household meets income limits of $99,000 per individual or $198,000 per couple
  • The household is unable to pay full rent due to a loss in household income or extraordinary medical expenses
  • Timely partial payments have been attempted
  • Eviction would likely make the household homeless or force them into an unsafe shared living arrangement

If properties are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 and tenant inability to pay, please reach out to your assigned servicing staff to discuss options. To review our previously posted Multifamily Housing questions and answers on the CARES Act forbearance and COVID-19 in general, please visit the Rural Development COVID-19 Response website .