It’s tempting to think that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us and that it’s time to move on. We’ve been asked to be patient and responsible for such a long time already—putting off holidays, celebrations, and the simple pleasures of daily life in the name of public safety. In fairness, there is some reason to be hopeful. Rising job numbers, a stronger (if still struggling) economy, various industries striving to stay afloat—all of these are legitimate reasons for optimism.

Still, the financial strife of the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, and without the protection of the CDC moratorium on evictions, and with the lion’s share of federal funds allocated for Emergency Rental Aid (ERA) untouched, things could get much worse very quickly.