Last year, Maricopa County saw a record number of eviction cases.

As Maricopa County Constable Mahogany Kennedy was tasked with the difficult task of kicking out the tenants, ABC15 continued to look into the process in detail.

It started when Kennedy headed to his first home in South Phoenix.

“There are about eight evictions scheduled for today, and there were 12 people yesterday,” she said.

When she arrived she approached the door but soon realized that the house was open.

“They are already open and the locks will change,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy says finding an empty house is a common occurrence these days. Due to her workload, tenants have more time to leave before she shows up.

Maricopa County broke records of the number of eviction lawsuits filed last year, reaching around 87,000. This is about 4,000 people from previous recordsets nearly 20 years ago.

“You can say that historically in the past, I’m doing it with far more evictions than during the day,” Kennedy said.

At her next stop, Kennedy is greeted by a worried neighbor who fears the dog may have been left inside. However, when I looked closely, there were no dogs or people inside the house.

Her first two stops may have seemed uneventful, but Kennedy said he knows the next one might not be that easy.

“It can be controversial at times,” she said.

That’s why Kennedy said she’s working hard to bring empathy to every family she visits.

“Sometimes, you’re out here, so you have to just be a human,” Kennedy said. “We can’t teach you empathy, but this time it’s something you need.”

Eviction Resources

If you’re struggling to pay your rent, here are some tips provided by the Maricopa County Judicial Court:

• Don’t wait! Let your landlord know the moment you think you may have a problem paying rent. Some landlords split the rent into two payments, while others work with the tenants in other ways. Of course, others don’t. But now, start talking!
• Look for help immediately. Don’t wait until the hearing searches for rental assistance. Although programs are running out of pandemic era, many cities and nonprofits have new or existing rental assistance programs that can help.
• Community Legal Service There is free landlord tenant help throughout the week. Their counselor will look at the tenant’s situation and see if there is any error in the paperwork or other “loophole.”
• Read information on these websites for education and support: