UPDATE: Evictions placed on hold in Virginia until Sept. 7 with Supreme Court ruling

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday approved a request from Governor Ralph Northam to extend the statewide eviction moratorium until September 7th.

Northam said ongoing negotiations for an economic COVID relief bill left Virginians without federal housing protection and the move will help hard-hit residents stay safe in their homes.

The news comes as US unemployment figures show requests for unemployment assistance in Virginia hit a five-month low but more than 1 million people in the Commonwealth remain out of work.

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