Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`No. 21-30037
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
`FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
`
`
`CHAMBLESS ENTERPRISES, L.L.C.; APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF
`LOUISIANA, INCORPORATED,
`
`Plaintiffs-Appellants,
`
`
`v.
`
`ROCHELLE WALENSKY; SHERRI BERGER; UNITED STATES
`DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; MERRICK
`GARLAND, U.S. Attorney General; XAVIER BECERRA, Secretary, U.S.
`Department of Health and Human Services; CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL
`AND PREVENTION,
`
`Defendants-Appellees.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`On Appeal from the United States District Court
`for the Western District of Louisiana
`
`
`BRIEF FOR APPELLEES
`
`
`
`BRIAN M. BOYNTON
`Acting Assistant Attorney General
`ALEXANDER C. VAN HOOK
`Acting United States Attorney
`ALISA B. KLEIN
`BRIAN J. SPRINGER
`Attorneys, Appellate Staff
`Civil Division, Room 7537
`U.S. Department of Justice
`950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
`Washington, DC 20530
`(202) 616-5446
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS
`
`No. 21-30037, Chambless Enterprises, L.L.C. v. Walensky
`
`The undersigned counsel of record certifies that the following listed persons
`
`and entities as described in the fourth sentence of Rule 28.2.1 have an interest in the
`
`outcome of this case. These representations are made in order that the judges of this
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`court may evaluate possible disqualification or recusal.
`
`Acadiana Legal Service Corporation
`
`Alker & Rather, LLC
`
`American Academy of Pediatrics
`
`American Medical Association
`
`Apartment Association of Louisiana, Inc.
`
`Becerra, Xavier
`
`Beckenhauer, Eric
`
`Benfer, Emily A.
`
`Berger, Sherri
`
`Blevins, Ethan W.
`
`Boynton, Brian M.
`
`Chambless Enterprises, L.L.C.
`
`Chambless, Joshua
`
`Children’s Healthwatch
`
`Desmond, Matthew
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`
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`
`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 3 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`Doughty, Terry A., U.S. District Court Judge
`
`Esponge, Tammy
`
`Garland, Merrick
`
`George Consortium
`
`GLMA
`
`Gonsalves, Gregg
`
`Hayes, Karen L., U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge
`
`Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
`
`Hepburn, Peter
`
`Kenne, Danya A.
`
`Klein, Alisa B.
`
`Leifheit, Kathryn M.
`
`Levy, Michael Z.
`
`Linton, Sabriya L.
`
`Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center
`
`Marcley, Hannah S.
`
`McClatchey Jr., Walter P.
`
`Myers, Steven A.
`
`National Hispanic Medical Association
`
`National Medical Association
`
`Pacific Legal Foundation
`
`ii
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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 4 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`Pollack, Craig E.
`
`Public Health Law Watch
`
`Raifman, Julia
`
`Rather, Jr., James C.
`
`Schwartz, Gabriel L.
`
`Simpson, Steven M.
`
`Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Amicus Curiae
`
`Springer, Brian J.
`
`U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
`
`U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
`
`Van Hook, Alexander C.
`
`Vigen, Leslie Cooper
`
`Vlahov, David
`
`Wake, Luke A.
`
`Walensky, Rochelle
`
`Williams, David
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`
`
`s/ Brian J. Springer
`Brian J. Springer
`Attorney of record for defendants-appellees
`
`iii
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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 5 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT
`
`To curb the spread of COVID-19 and its economic fallout, the federal
`
`government has deployed an array of measures, including trillions of dollars of
`
`emergency spending. The measure at issue here is a temporary moratorium on the
`
`eviction of certain individuals who otherwise would likely become homeless or move
`
`into congregate settings, such as crowded shelters, thereby increasing the spread of
`
`COVID-19. The moratorium works in tandem with $46 billion that Congress has
`
`appropriated in emergency assistance to pay rent and rental arrears, by helping to
`
`ensure that millions of renters are not evicted (exacerbating the spread of the virus)
`
`while waiting to receive assistance.
`
`The plaintiff landlords challenged the temporary moratorium and moved for a
`
`preliminary injunction. The district court denied their motion, concluding that
`
`plaintiffs had failed to establish any of the factors necessary to obtain the
`
`extraordinary remedy of a preliminary injunction, including the showing of irreparable
`
`harm that is a prerequisite to such relief.
`
`The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying a preliminary
`
`injunction. Every court to address the issue has concluded that landlords failed to
`
`demonstrate that the temporary eviction moratorium was causing harm that is non-
`
`compensable and thus irreparable. Accordingly, the denial of a preliminary injunction
`
`should be affirmed without oral argument. The government stands ready to present
`
`oral argument, however, if this Court would find it useful.
`iv
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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 6 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
`STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION ................................................................................... 1
`
`STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE ............................................................................................ 1
`
`STATEMENT OF THE CASE ............................................................................................. 1
`
`I.
`
`The Temporary Eviction Moratorium and Related Appropriations ..................... 1
`
`II. District Court Proceedings ........................................................................................... 6
`
`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT .............................................................................................. 8
`
`STANDARD OF REVIEW ................................................................................................... 9
`
`ARGUMENT ............................................................................................................................ 9
`
`The District Court’s Denial Of Plaintiffs’ Motion For A Preliminary Injunction
`Was Not An Abuse Of Discretion ............................................................................. 9
`
`I.
`
`The District Court Correctly Found That Plaintiffs Failed To
`Demonstrate Irreparable Harm ................................................................................ 10
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`Plaintiffs Failed To Substantiate Their Claim Of Irreparable
`Monetary Harm ................................................................................................ 10
`
`Plaintiffs Failed To Establish Their Alternative Theories Of
`Irreparable Harm ............................................................................................. 14
`
`II.
`
`The District Court Correctly Found That Plaintiffs’ Asserted Harms Are
`Outweighed By The Harm That A Preliminary Injunction Would Cause
`To Third Parties And The Public Interest .............................................................. 16
`
`III. Plaintiffs Failed To Demonstrate A Likelihood Of Success On The
`Merits Of Their Claims .............................................................................................. 18
`
`A.
`
`The Temporary Eviction Moratorium Is Within The CDC’s
`Statutory And Regulatory Authority ............................................................. 18
`
`
`
`v
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 7 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`B.
`
`C.
`
`D.
`
`Plaintiffs’ Constitutional Claims Are Meritless ........................................... 25
`
`The Issuance Of The Temporary Eviction Moratorium Was
`Procedurally Valid ............................................................................................ 32
`
`The Temporary Eviction Moratorium Is Not Arbitrary And
`Capricious .......................................................................................................... 34
`
`CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 36
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
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`vi
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 8 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Cases:
`
`Page(s)
`
`A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States,
`295 U.S. 495 (1935) ............................................................................................................. 30
`
`
`Barber v. Thomas,
`560 U.S. 474 (2010) ............................................................................................................. 22
`
`
`Big Time Vapes, Inc. v. Food & Drug Admin.,
`963 F.3d 436 (5th Cir. 2020) ....................................................................................... 30, 31
`
`
`Big Tyme Invs., L.L.C. v. Edwards,
`985 F.3d 456 (5th Cir. 2021) ................................................................................................ 9
`
`
`Brown v. Azar, --- F. Supp. 3d ---,
` No. 20-3702, 2020 WL 6364310 (N.D. Ga. Oct. 29, 2020), appeal filed,
` No. 20-14210 (11th Cir. Nov. 9, 2020), mot. for inj. pending appeal denied,
` No. 20-14210 (11th Cir. Dec. 17, 2020) ................................................................... passim
`
`Camp, In re,
`631 F.3d 757 (5th Cir. 2011) .............................................................................................. 22
`
`
`Carpenter Tech. Corp. v. City of Bridgeport,
`180 F.3d 93 (2d Cir. 1999) ................................................................................................. 15
`
`
`Chickasaw Nation v. United States,
`534 U.S. 84 (2001) ............................................................................................................... 22
`
`
`City of Arlington v. FCC,
`569 U.S. 290 (2013) ............................................................................................................. 20
`
`
`Dalton v. Specter,
`511 U.S. 462 (1994) ............................................................................................................. 15
`
`
`Deerfield Med. Ctr. v. City of Deerfield Beach,
`661 F.2d 328 (5th Cir. 1981) .............................................................................................. 15
`
`
`Dennis Melancon, Inc. v. City of New Orleans,
`703 F.3d 262 (5th Cir. 2012) .............................................................................................. 12
`vii
`
`
`
`

`

`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 9 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`Enterprise Int’l, Inc. v. Corporacion Estatal Petrolera Ecuatoriana,
`762 F.2d 464 (5th Cir. 1985) ....................................................................................... 11, 15
`
`
`Federal Power Comm’n v. Hope Nat. Gas Co.,
`320 U.S. 591 (1944) ............................................................................................................. 31
`
`
`Girl Scouts of Manitou Council, Inc. v. Girl Scouts of U.S. of Am., Inc.,
`549 F.3d 1079 (7th Cir. 2008) ............................................................................................ 14
`
`
`Gonzales v. Oregon,
`546 U.S. 243 (2006) ............................................................................................................. 19
`
`
`Groome Res. Ltd. v. Parish of Jefferson,
`234 F.3d 192 (5th Cir. 2000) ....................................................................................... 25, 27
`
`
`Gundy v. United States,
`139 S. Ct. 2116 (2019) .................................................................................................. 30, 31
`
`
`Independent Turtle Farmers of La., Inc. v. United States,
`703 F. Supp. 2d 604 (W.D. La. 2010) ............................................................................... 21
`
`
`Jifry v. FAA,
`370 F.3d 1174 (D.C. Cir. 2004) ......................................................................................... 33
`
`
`Jones v. United States,
`529 U.S. 848 (2000) ............................................................................................................. 27
`
`
`Jordan v. Fisher,
`823 F.3d 805 (5th Cir. 2016) .............................................................................................. 10
`
`
`K-Mart Corp. v. Oriental Plaza, Inc.,
`875 F.2d 907 (1st Cir. 1989) ............................................................................................... 13
`
`
`League of Indep. Fitness Facilities & Trainers, Inc. v. Whitmer,
`814 F. App’x 125 (6th Cir. 2020) (unpub.) ...................................................................... 18
`
`
`Marshall v. United States,
`414 U.S. 417 (1974) ...................................................................................................... 20, 35
`
`
`Minard Run Oil Co. v. U.S. Forest Serv.,
`670 F.3d 236 (3d Cir. 2011) ............................................................................................... 14
`viii
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 10 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`Mistretta v. United States,
`488 U.S. 361 (1989) ................................................................................................ 30, 31, 32
`
`
`Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass’n of the U.S., Inc. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.,
`463 U.S. 29 (1983) ............................................................................................................... 34
`
`
`National Broad. Co. v. United States,
`319 U.S. 190 (1943) ............................................................................................................. 31
`
`
`New York Cent. Sec. Corp. v. United States,
`287 U.S. 12 (1932) ............................................................................................................... 31
`
`
`Nken v. Holder,
`556 U.S. 418 (2009) ............................................................................................................. 16
`
`
`Panama Ref. Co. v. Ryan,
`293 U.S. 388 (1935) ............................................................................................................. 30
`
`
`RoDa Drilling Co. v. Siegal,
`552 F.3d 1203 (10th Cir. 2009) ................................................................................... 13, 14
`
`
`Russell Motor Car Co. v. United States,
`261 U.S. 514 (1923) ............................................................................................................. 22
`
`
`Russell v. United States,
`471 U.S. 858 (1985) ............................................................................................................. 27
`
`
`Sebelius v. Cloer,
`569 U.S. 369 (2013) ............................................................................................................. 22
`
`
`Skyworks, Ltd. v. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, --- F. Supp. 3d ---,
` No. 20-2407, 2021 WL 911720 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 10, 2021) ........................................ 20
`
`South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom,
`140 S. Ct. 1613 (2020) .................................................................................................. 10, 35
`
`
`Swain v. Junior,
`961 F.3d 1276 (11th Cir. 2020) .......................................................................................... 16
`
`
`Tate v. American Tugs, Inc.,
`634 F.2d 869 (5th Cir. 1981) ..................................................................................... 8, 9, 10
`ix
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 11 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`Taylor v. United States,
`136 S. Ct. 2074 (2016) ......................................................................................................... 28
`
`
`Terkel v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, --- F. Supp. 3d ---,
` No. 20-0564, 2021 WL 742877 (E.D. Tex. Feb. 25, 2021), appeal filed,
` No. 21-40137 (5th Cir. Feb. 27, 2021) ............................................................................. 25
`
`Texans for Free Enter. v. Texas Ethics Comm’n,
`732 F.3d 535 (5th Cir. 2013) .............................................................................................. 18
`
`
`Thomas v. Network Sols., Inc.,
`176 F.3d 500 (D.C. Cir. 1999) ........................................................................................... 24
`
`
`Tiger Lily LLC v. U.S. Dep’t of Hous. & Urban Dev.:
`
`--- F. Supp. 3d ---, No. 20-2692, 2020 WL 7658126
`
`(W.D. Tenn. Nov. 6, 2020) ........................................................................................... 11
`--- F. Supp. 3d ---, No. 20-2692, 2021 WL 1171887
`(W.D. Tenn. Mar. 15, 2021), mot. for stay pending appeal denied,
`--- F.3d ---, No. 21-5256, 2021 WL 1165170 (6th Cir. Mar. 29, 2021) .................. 20
`--- F.3d ---, No. 21-5256, 2021 WL 1165170 (6th Cir. Mar. 29, 2021) ....................... 20
`
`
`Touby v. United States,
`500 U.S. 160 (1991) ............................................................................................................. 32
`
`
`United States v. Comstock,
`560 U.S. 126 (2010) ............................................................................................................. 27
`
`
`United States v. Heinszen,
`206 U.S. 370 (1907) ............................................................................................................. 24
`
`
`United States v. Kaluza,
`780 F.3d 647 (5th Cir. 2015) .............................................................................................. 22
`
`
`United States v. Lopez,
`514 U.S. 549 (1995) ............................................................................................................. 28
`
`
`United States v. Morrison,
`529 U.S. 598 (2000) ............................................................................................................. 28
`
`
`United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Co-op.,
`532 U.S. 483 (2001) ............................................................................................................. 22
`x
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 12 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`United States v. Powell,
`423 U.S. 87 (1975) ............................................................................................................... 22
`
`
`U.S. Steel Corp. v. EPA,
`595 F.2d 207 (5th Cir. 1979) .............................................................................................. 33
`
`
`Wallace v. FedEx Corp.,
`764 F.3d 571 (6th Cir. 2014) .............................................................................................. 20
`
`
`White v. Carlucci,
`862 F.2d 1209 (5th Cir. 1989) ............................................................................................ 11
`
`
`Whitman v. American Trucking Ass’ns,
`531 U.S. 457 (2001) ............................................................................................................. 31
`
`
`Winter v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc.,
`555 U.S. 7 (2008) ................................................................................................................. 16
`
`
`Yakus v. United States,
`321 U.S. 414 (1944) ............................................................................................................. 31
`
`U.S. Constitution:
`
`Art. I, § 8, cl. 3 .................................................................................................................. 26, 27
`
`Art. I, § 8, cl. 18 ....................................................................................................................... 26
`
`Statutes:
`
`Administrative Procedure Act:
` 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(B) ............................................................................................................ 33
` 5 U.S.C. § 702 ......................................................................................................................... 1
`
`American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,
`Pub. L. No. 117-2, § 3201(a)(1), 135 Stat. 4, 54 .................................................. 4, 13, 28
`
`
`Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,
` Pub. L. No. 116-260, 134 Stat. 1182 (2020) .................................................................... 28
`Div. N, tit. V, § 501, 134 Stat. at 2070-78 .............................................................. 3, 13
`Div. N, tit. V, § 502, 134 Stat. at 2078-79 .................................................. 3, 23, 24, 34
`
`
`
`
`
`xi
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 13 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,
` Pub. L. No. 116-136, 134 Stat. 281 (2020) ............................................................... 27, 28
`
`Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020,
` Pub. L. No. 116-123, 134 Stat. 146 (2020) ...................................................................... 27
`
`Families First Coronavirus Response Act,
` Pub. L. No. 116-127, 134 Stat. 178 (2020) ...................................................................... 27
`
`Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act,
` Pub. L. No. 116-139, 134 Stat. 620 (2020) ...................................................................... 28
`
`Public Health Service Act,
`Pub. L. No. 78-410, § 361(a), 58 Stat. 682, 703 (1944)
`(codified at 42 U.S.C. § 264(a)) ........................................................................................... 2
`
`
`20 U.S.C. § 3508(b) ................................................................................................................... 2
`
`28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1) ............................................................................................................... 1
`
`28 U.S.C. § 1331 ........................................................................................................................ 1
`
`42 U.S.C. § 264(a) ............................................................................................................ passim
`
`42 U.S.C. § 264(b)............................................................................................................. 21, 23
`
`42 U.S.C. § 264(c) ............................................................................................................. 21, 23
`
`42 U.S.C. § 264(d) ............................................................................................................. 21, 23
`
`42 U.S.C. § 264(e) .................................................................................................................... 30
`
`Regulation:
`
`42 C.F.R. § 70.2 ................................................................................................................ passim
`
`Legislative Materials:
`
`167 Cong. Rec. H1281 (daily ed. Mar. 10, 2021) ..................................................... 4, 13, 25
`
`H.R. Rep. No. 78-1364 (1944) ............................................................................................... 19
`
`
`
`xii
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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 14 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`H.R. Rep. No. 116-420 (2020) .......................................................................................... 1, 26
`
`Other Authorities:
`
`CDC, Domestic Travel During COVID-19, https://go.usa.gov/xHDTx (last updated
`Apr. 2, 2021) ......................................................................................................................... 26
`
`
`CDC, HHS/CDC Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the
` Further Spread of COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions,
` https://go.usa.gov/x7dhb (last visited Apr. 21, 2021) .................................................... 6
`
`CDC, Testing and International Air Travel, https://go.usa.gov/xH9nV
`
`(last updated Feb. 18, 2021) ............................................................................................... 26
`
`Aaron Klein and Ember Smith, Explaining the Economic Impact of COVID-19:
` Core Industries and the Hispanic Workforce (Feb. 4, 2021) ................................................... 26
`
`Louisiana Hous. Corp. & La. Office of Cmty. Dev., State of Louisiana’s
` U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance Program,
` https://www.lastaterent.com (last visited Apr. 21, 2021) ............................................. 14
`
`Order, KBW Inv. Props. LLC v. Azar,
` No. 20-4852 (S.D. Ohio Sept. 25, 2020), ECF No. 16 .................................................. 11
`
`Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966,
` 31 Fed. Reg. 8855 (June 25, 1966), reprinted in 80 Stat. 1610 (1966) .............................. 2
`
`Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely,
` 86 Fed. Reg. 5694 (Jan. 19, 2021) ..................................................................................... 34
`
`Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread
` of COVID-19, 85 Fed. Reg. 55,292 (Sept. 4, 2020) ............................................... passim
`
`Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread
` of COVID-19, 86 Fed. Reg. 8020 (Feb. 3, 2021) ................................................... passim
`
`Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread
` of COVID-19, 86 Fed. Reg. 16,731 (Mar. 31, 2021) ............................................. passim
`
`
`
`
`
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`xiii
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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 15 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
`
`U.S. H. Comm. on Fin. Servs., COVID-19 Stimulus Package: Temporary
` Extension of the CDC Eviction Moratorium & Emergency Rental Assistance,
`https://go.usa.gov/xss3y (last visited Apr. 21, 2021) .................................... 3, 4, 13, 25
`
`
`11A Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller & Mary Kay Kane,
` Federal Practice and Procedure § 2948.1 (3d ed. 2013) ........................................................... 7
`
`
`
`
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`xiv
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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 16 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION
`
`Plaintiffs invoked the district court’s jurisdiction under 5 U.S.C. § 702 and 28
`
`U.S.C. § 1331. The district court denied plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction
`
`on December 22, 2020. ROA.011. Plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal on January 22,
`
`2021. ROA.009. This Court has appellate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1).
`
`STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE
`
`Whether the district court abused its discretion in determining that plaintiffs
`
`had failed to establish the factors necessary to obtain the extraordinary remedy of a
`
`preliminary injunction, including the showing of irreparable harm that is a prerequisite
`
`to such relief.
`
`STATEMENT OF THE CASE
`
`I.
`
`The Temporary Eviction Moratorium and Related Appropriations
`
`A. The COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than half a million Americans,
`
`devastated industries that depend on the movement of people, and resulted in
`
`unprecedented restrictions on interstate and foreign travel. See, e.g., H.R. Rep. No.
`
`116-420, at 2-3 (2020); Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the
`
`Further Spread of COVID-19, 86 Fed. Reg. 16,731, 16,732-33 (Mar. 31, 2021). To
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`curb the pandemic and its economic fallout, the federal government has deployed an
`
`array of measures, including trillions of dollars of emergency spending. Recognizing
`
`that the pandemic has made it difficult for many individuals and families to continue
`
`to make regular rental payments, Congress has appropriated more than $46 billion to
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`
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 17 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`help pay rent and rental arrears, thus assisting landlords and reducing the number of
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`renters who might face eviction.
`
`The measure at issue here—a temporary moratorium on certain evictions—
`
`forms another part of the multi-pronged effort to address evictions and their impact
`
`on the spread of COVID-19. The moratorium temporarily bars the eviction of
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`certain individuals who otherwise would likely become homeless or move into
`
`congregate settings, such as crowded shelters, thereby increasing the spread of
`
`COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first issued the
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`moratorium in September 2020 pursuant to its longstanding statutory authority to
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`“make and enforce such regulations as in [the agency’s] judgment are necessary to
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`prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from
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`foreign countries into the States or possessions, or from one State or possession into
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`any other State or possession,” Public Health Service Act, Pub. L. No. 78-410,
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`§ 361(a), 58 Stat. 682, 703 (1944) (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 264(a)); see also 42 C.F.R.
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`§ 70.2 (delegating enforcement authority to the CDC).1 See Temporary Halt in
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`Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19, 85 Fed. Reg.
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`55,292 (Sept. 4, 2020).
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`
`1 The Public Health Service Act assigned authority to the Surgeon General, but
`these statutory powers and functions were later transferred to the Secretary of Health,
`Education, and Welfare, now the Secretary of Health and Human Services. See
`Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966, 31 Fed. Reg. 8855 (June 25, 1966), reprinted in 80
`Stat. 1610 (1966); see also 20 U.S.C. § 3508(b).
`2
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 18 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`In issuing the moratorium, the CDC discussed research indicating that as many
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`as 30 to 40 million people in the United States could be at risk of eviction in the
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`absence of state and local protections, and that “mass evictions would likely increase
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`the interstate spread of COVID-19.” 85 Fed. Reg. at 55,295. The CDC explained
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`how congregate living situations, such as homeless shelters, exacerbate the spread of
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`COVID-19. See id. at 55,294-95. Maintaining social distance is difficult in these
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`settings, and “[e]xtensive outbreaks of COVID-19 have been identified in homeless
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`shelters,” including in Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco. Id. at 55,295. The CDC
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`also explained that the homeless population is at particular risk of requiring
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`hospitalization from COVID-19, see id. at 55,295-96, and later noted that “increases in
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`unsheltered homelessness may lead to further strains on the healthcare system,”
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`Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-
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`19, 86 Fed. Reg. 8020, 8023 (Feb. 3, 2021) (citing estimates that homeless persons use
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`the emergency department at nearly five times the rate of the general population).
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`In December 2020, Congress extended the moratorium and, in the immediately
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`preceding section of the same legislation, appropriated $25 billion in emergency rental
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`assistance designed to reach landlords whose tenants have fallen behind in rent. See
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`Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260, div. N, tit. V, §§ 501,
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`502, 134 Stat. 1182, 2070-79 (2020) (2021 Appropriations Act). This appropriation
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`works in tandem with the moratorium, helping to “ensure that millions of renters
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`across America are not evicted while waiting to receive assistance.” U.S. H. Comm.
`3
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`

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`Case: 21-30037 Document: 00515831937 Page: 19 Date Filed: 04/21/2021
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`on Fin. Servs., COVID-19 Stimulus Package: Temporary Extension of the CDC Eviction
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`Moratorium & Emergency Rental Assistance, https://go.usa.gov/xss3y (last visited Apr.
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`21, 2021).
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`The CDC extended the moratorium in January 2021 and again in March 2021.
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`See 86 Fed. Reg. 8020; 86 Fed. Reg. 16,731.
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`Also in March 2021, Congress appropriated an additional $21.5 billion in
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`funding for emergency rental assistance designed to reach landlords whose tenants
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`have fallen behind in rent due to the pandemic. See American Rescue Plan Act of
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`2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2, § 3201(a)(1), 135 Stat. 4, 54 (American Rescue Plan Act).
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`Like the $25 billion provided by the 2021 Appropriations Act, this additional funding
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`is meant to work together with the temporary eviction moratorium to help ensure that
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`renters are not evicted (exacerbating the spread of the virus) before emergency
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`assistance is received. See, e.g., 167 Cong. Rec. H1281 (daily ed. Mar. 10, 2021)
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`(statement of Rep. Waters) (urging the CDC to “again extend the federal eviction
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`moratorium that expires on March 31, 2021 so that grantees have time to distribute
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`assistance to renters in need”).
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`In extending the moratorium through June 30, 2021, the CDC emphasized the
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`ongoing need to “maintain COVID-19 precautions to avoid further rises in
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`transmission and to guard against yet another increase in the rates of new infections,”
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`even as “vaccines continue to be distributed.” 86 Fed. Reg. at 16,733. As of
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`March 25, 2021, nearly 30 million COVID-19 cases, resulting in more than 540,000
`4
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`

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`Case: 21-