Va. Senate delays vote on eviction bill

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – The Virginia Senate has put off a vote on legislation to block evictions until next year, a measure supporters say is a vital protection for renters amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A Senate committee voted Wednesday to delay taking a vote on a measure to block evictions until next May after landlords expressed strong concerns about the bills. Landlords worry the measure will cause renters to not pay any rent which would jeopardize their business operations and potentially result in bankruptcies.

Supporters said the economic distress caused by the virus require the moratorium to keep people in their homes. The RVA Eviction Lab at Virginia Commonwealth University estimates that as many as 262,000 households in Virginia are at risk of eviction and that 16% of renters did not pay rent July’s rent.

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