Mahogany Kennedy’s knocks on doors in Phoenix, Arizona often signal impending homelessness for residents. As one of 26 constables in Maricopa County, her duty entails serving eviction notices.
“Eviction numbers have significantly risen in recent months,” Kennedy remarked. “I’m out there evicting every day, five days a week.”
In the Phoenix area, evictions have reached unprecedented levels. Since March of last year, Maricopa County has led the nation in eviction filings.
On a typical workday, Kennedy attempts to serve three evictions, including one for a three-bedroom apartment that used to house seven people. Heavyn Glascow, the last resident to leave, expressed dismay: “Everything is so expensive right now, which is crazy.”
In her South Phoenix courtroom, Judge Anna Huberman faces up to 500 eviction cases monthly, surpassing numbers seen right after the pandemic-era eviction moratorium ended three years ago.
“There was an expectation of a surge in filings, but it didn’t materialize at first,” Huberman reflected. “Now, it’s different.”
Officials report a 21% increase in evictions in Maricopa County, totaling over 83,000 filings in 2023.
Nationwide, approximately 3.6 million eviction notices are filed annually, with notable shifts in where they occur, according to Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, which monitors 34 cities. At least 14 cities, primarily in the Sun Belt where populations are growing and rents are soaring, have seen double-digit increases in evictions since 2019.
“The heart of the eviction crisis is families with children,” noted Dr. Carl Gershenson of the Eviction Lab. “These households are just one unexpected expense away from losing their homes.”
Kristopher Aranda, who lived with his girlfriend in Phoenix for seven years, faced eviction after her passing from cancer in January. Unable to work during her illness, he struggled to afford the $3,000 needed to maintain their home.
Still grieving, Aranda expressed uncertainty about his future: “I have no idea where I’m going to go. I have to start over.”
Meanwhile, as Aranda begins anew, Constable Kennedy continues her rounds, delivering eviction orders to yet another door.
Source: cbsnews.