PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona's most populous county and one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States had more eviction filings in October than any month since the beginning of this century. , court officials announced Thursday.
Landlords filed 7,948 eviction complaints in Maricopa County Justice Court last month, court spokesman Scott Davis said. The previous monthly record was set in September 2005 with 7,902 cases.
Davis noted that approximately one in three eviction filings do not result in an eviction because landlords and tenants work out agreements before a lockout occurs.
Census statistics show Maricopa County has recently experienced one of the nation's largest migration booms, with real estate developers struggling to meet the housing needs of tens of thousands of new residents arriving each year. From July 2021 to July 2022, the county added approximately 57,000 new residents, and now has a population of 4.5 million.
The Arizona Housing Authority said the state has a severe housing shortage with about 270,000 units of all types available.
The Housing Commission, a group of government officials and housing experts, concluded last year that it takes too long to build new housing in Arizona and that current local zoning regulations are a barrier to new development. It has been found.
Due to the high demand for housing, especially affordable housing, rents have soared in recent years, leaving many Arizona residents struggling to meet their monthly housing costs. Apartment List, an online marketplace for rental properties, reported this week that Phoenix rental prices fell 1% in October but have risen 25.6% since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020. .
The median rent in Phoenix is currently $1,155 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,397 for a two-bedroom unit, according to Apartment List. The citywide apartment vacancy rate is 6.8%.
The Arizona Multifamily Housing Association, which represents thousands of property owners and managers across the state, stressed Thursday that most landlords are working hard to keep residents in their homes.
“We know people are struggling,” Association President and CEO Courtney Gilstrap Levinas said in a statement. “If you can't pay rent, eviction is usually the last resort. No one wants to see someone lose their home.”
