By Brent Ruffner
Mail | X: @AzNewsmedia

Tempe, north Phoenix and Glendale/Avondale  are among Valley areas with the most eviction filings on average, the Maricopa County Justice Courts spokesman said.

The reason is the concentration of apartments in those areas, Scott Davis said. They average about 413 eviction filings each month.

In July, there were 7,250 eviction filings submitted to the Maricopa County Justice Courts.

Numbers of eviction filings are down from previous years, Davis said.

In 2024, 87,197 eviction filings was enough to break the previous record set in 2005, Davis said.

In 2023, there were 83,236 total eviction filings — 451 filings short of the previous record of 83,687 eviction filings set in 2005, according to Davis.

“This year, we have not reached the same levels (as the county did in prior years),” Davis said.

Country Meadows — one of the 26 precincts in Maricopa County — has been in the top five for the highest eviction filings the past 10 years, Davis said.

Others — such as the Moon Valley precinct in north Phoenix, Tempe’s Kyrene and Manistee in the West Valley — are “always” in the top five for eviction filings, he said. Manistee covers portions of Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria.

So far this year, there are 48,413 filing through seven months, according to Davis.

The economy, construction and population growth all contribute to eviction filings in the Valley.

While the number of eviction notices have risen the past few years, more groups and cities are seeking to provide rental and utility assistance to keep people out of the eviction process.

In Tempe, officials helped 694 households with a total of $943,000 for rent and utility assistance last fiscal year, said Carrie Aranda, director of mission advancement at Tempe Community Action Agency.

The previous year, officials helped 737 households for a total of $1.1 million, Aranda said.

Program funding comes from Arizona Public Service Co., Salt River Project, Maricopa County and the city of Tempe, she said.

Officials are “seeing hundreds” of applications filed for help, Aranda said.

Requirements to receive help are that applicants must be a resident of the city of Tempe, the household has experienced a crisis event that “results in a reduction or loss of income or causes unexpected expenses or endangers household health” and safety, she said.

“Demand for emergency assistance, whether it is for financial assistance or food assistance, remains high,” Aranda said. “We are seeing an increase in demand at our food pantry for emergency food boxes. Between June and July, we saw the daily average of households served go up from 72 to 81. Again, that average is a daily number.”

There are other community action offices in cities such as Mesa, Tolleson, Peoria and Scottsdale that handle similar requests.

Demand to hear eviction filing cases in court remains high.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is expected to hear a proposal to add an extra court because four of its courts are above capacity, Davis said. By statute, the governing board can re-draw the court boundaries or create a new court, Davis said.

For information, visit https://www.maricopa.gov/5682/Community-Action-Program-Offices

Brent Ruffner
Lead News Reporter | Phoenix

BRuffner@iniusa.org

Meet Brent

Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.

He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.

Community:  He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.

 Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.

Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball. 

Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.