PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 Maricopa County is preparing to launch a new pilot program aimed at helping renters who fall behind on payments stay in their homes and avoid eviction.<\/p>\n
County leaders and local landlords said the effort is designed to be a \u201cwin-win\u201d that keeps families housed while reducing costly, contentious eviction cases.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a certain word that sends chills down a person\u2019s spine,\u201d said landlord Zachary Kepes. \u201cNobody likes evictions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kepes, who has been a landlord for years, said he\u2019s seen how quickly things can spiral once an eviction notice is posted.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou say the word \u2018eviction,\u2019 people panic, they freak, they start doing negative things to the home,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s no winning in an eviction.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Maricopa County officials, justice courts have processed more than 80,000 eviction filings in the county over the last three years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want a system in times of hardship, which is more important now than ever,\u201d Kepes said, adding that he believes there is a better way to handle temporary setbacks.<\/p>\n
The new Eviction Diversion Pilot Program is scheduled to launch in Phoenix and aims to keep people in their homes even if they fall a little behind on rent. The program is a partnership with the city of Phoenix and will focus on zip codes with the highest eviction rates.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis program is intended to provide a hand up, not a handout,\u201d said Kate Brophy McGee, chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.<\/p>\n
Brophy McGee, who helped design the program, said the goal is to stabilize both renters and property owners.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea would be to keep these marginalized individuals in their home and paying their rent and not put them through the expense of eviction \u2014 and not put their landlord through the expense of eviction,\u201d she said. \u201cSo many people are being punished for temporary hardships.\u201d<\/p>\n
The county has set aside $800,000 for the pilot in its tentative fiscal 2027 budget, which is expected to come up for a vote in the coming days. The money would be used to assist eligible residents in high-eviction zip codes in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
Kepes said he worked alongside county leaders to help craft the safety net, in part because he has seen how a single missed paycheck can snowball.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy should they be displaced because of a one-time issue?\u201d he said. \u201cThey paid for 36 months in a row and all of a sudden the landlord says, \u2018Hey, you\u2019re out because of a $200 deficiency.\u2019 That\u2019s ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n
County officials say payments under the program will go directly to landlords to reduce the risk of abuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about a game of retention and relationships,\u201d Kepes said.<\/p>\n
If the $800,000 Phoenix-based pilot proves successful, county officials say it could expand to other parts of Maricopa County. More specific details on eligibility, timelines and participating partners are expected to be released in the coming months.<\/p>\n
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