Washington, D.C. - Today Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District sent a letter urging House and Senate leadership to extend the eviction moratorium. 

“Las Vegas was hit harder than any other metropolitan area during this pandemic. I’ve been working non-stop throughout to help Southern Nevada recover - making sure that additional funding comes to our district in the Rescue Plan and in the infrastructure plans. However, this pandemic isn’t over. Cases are rising and the CDC has rightly reissued mask guidance. Nevadans are also still recovering; jobs are still below the pre-pandemic levels and unemployment levels are still high in Las Vegas,” said Congresswoman Dina Titus. 

“We cannot have an eviction crisis right now. And I’ve seen this before,” continued Congresswoman Titus. “When I first arrived in Congress after 2008 it was the depths of a recession and housing crisis. Throughout my entire first term I worked around the clock helping people in my district to stay in their homes and recover economically. I'm urging that we extend the moratorium on evictions to ensure Americans remain safe and housed.”

The full letter from Congresswoman Titus is below: 

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Schumer,

President Biden has called on Congress to act swiftly to ensure that the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eviction moratorium is extended past its current expiration date of Saturday, July 31, 2021. I strongly urge you to work with the committees of jurisdiction on legislation that will ensure the country does not experience a historic wave of evictions and guarantee renters are safely able to stay in their homes at a time when so many remain vulnerable.

As a result of COVID-19, Las Vegas has been hit harder economically than any other major metropolitan area in the country. I have been working non-stop throughout this pandemic to help Nevada recover, making sure my district receives the funding and support it needs. These funds are starting to be disbursed, but state and local governments still need time and resources to ensure they reach the proper recipients. 

While vaccination rates around the country started on a steady trajectory, they have begun to stagnate, and the Delta variant is leading to a surge in positive cases. Families are beginning to recover economically thanks to efforts of Congressional Democrats and the Biden Administration, but in Las Vegas jobs are still below the pre-pandemic levels, and unemployment remains high at approximately 9.6%. Furthermore, we do not want to see families on the streets at a time when children are just going back to school. As so many Americans remain exposed to the threat of the virus, we cannot afford to have a mass eviction crisis, which will only exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and limit the ability of our communities to recover from this difficult last year and reach some sense of normalcy again.

I will be working with constituents in my district around the clock to connect them with rental assistance opportunities, but I stand ready to work with you to act expeditiously to extend the eviction moratorium before the end of July. Thank you for your consideration.