The US Supreme Court issued an emergency order on Thursday blocking part of New York’s eviction moratorium aimed at protecting renters from eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the emergency order, thousands of renters will potentially face eviction.

The emergency order will remove the “self-attestation” ability for renters, which previously allowed renters to state that they are suffering from COVID-19 hardships. The suit was brought by five New York landlords.

In its decision, the Court stated that the current scheme “violates the court’s longstanding teaching that ordinarily ‘no man can be a judge in his own case.’” However, the liberal-leaning justices dissented, arguing that the law was not unconstitutional and that the provision represented a necessary step during an unprecedented emergency.

While federal relief has been provided to New York to aid tenants and renters, the state has only disbursed $100 million of $2.7 billion in aid. This ruling will likely create additional pressure on renters in New York, 830,000 of whom are already behind on rent. The ensuing wave of evictions could trigger a significant housing crisis in New York, stoking public health concerns as a “fourth wave” of COVID-19 spreads across the US.

Incoming New York governor, current Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, however, has suggested she will work with the legislature to mitigate the damage from this ruling and the ongoing eviction crisis. In a statement, she said New York will move to “quickly address the Supreme Court’s decision and strengthen the eviction moratorium legislation.”