A federal judge on Friday agreed to a temporary stay on an earlier ruling that would have ended the nationwide eviction moratorium, the latest in the back-and-forth as tenants and landlords alike await a final decision. 

U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich detailed the decision in a 10-page ruling, writing that the Department of Health and Human Services made a “sufficiently strong showing” that pausing the moratorium would be detrimental to public health and safety. 

In early May, Judge Friedrich ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority when it imposed a federal eviction moratorium.

At the time, the Justice Department said it would appeal the ruling. Friday’s motion ensures that renters will not be evicted while the federal government makes its case. 

The eviction ban, initially put in place last year, provides protection for renters out of concern that having families lose their homes and move into shelters or share crowded conditions with relatives or friends during the pandemic would further spread the highly contagious virus.

Proponents of the moratorium argue it is necessary since the pandemic is still a threat and so many people are at risk of eviction or foreclosure. 

But landlords in several states have sued to scrap the order, arguing it was causing them financial hardship and infringing on their property rights. They remain opposed to any extension, saying it does nothing to address the financial challenges facing renters and landlords.

Friedrich acknowledged that the moratorium has already had a damaging impact on landlords, writing: “The longer the moratorium remains in effect, the more these hardships will be exacerbated.”