MESA, AZ — An issue facing many residents in the Valley is slated to be taken up by the state legislature in Arizona.
Rental assistance is a big need, but one state lawmaker says the needs outweigh the supply.
For Vicki, a single mom from Mesa, it is something to hope for in the future, even if it will not help her right now.
Vicki was working at a grocery store when she says she started developing back problems. She had to quit, eventually losing unemployment benefits. The bills started to pile; then she got a letter from her apartment.
“The letter is basically a five-day notice and it’s a legal action to pursue eviction starting Monday,” said Vicki, who faces the prospect of eviction on Monday.
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It is something Vicki has dreaded ever since ABC15 crews first met her at a turkey drive in Mesa just before Thanksgiving. She was happy to get food to cook for her two teen daughters then. Now, she fears she might lose them again.
“It’s very difficult knowing that I just got my girls back and knowing that I’m going to be facing an eviction. I don’t want that,” said Vicki.
Vicki has tried everything she can to get help, calling different housing assistance groups all over the Valley. But she says the help she needs just is not there.
“They just basically tell us either no or they tell us to call here or there, and then they tell us nope, it’s MesaCAN that does your area. It’s hit or miss,” said Vicki.
“There is not enough rental assistance right now for the need that there is,” said State Representative Legislative District 24 Analise Ortiz.
Ortiz wants to make things better for people like Vicki. She is planning to introduce her own bill in the legislature that would allocate state funds for rental assistance in emergencies.
Ortiz says Arizona has one of the weakest tenant protections in the country, but she is hopeful for bipartisan support for her bill.
“I know and I have worked across the aisle with some of my Republican colleagues who tell me that they too are receiving these phone calls from their constituents who cannot pay the rent. Something has to be done,” said Ortiz.
Vicki is one of thousands in Maricopa County who have faced eviction in 2024. This year, the county is set to surpass 2005's record of 83,687 individual filings.
“I need the help. I’m struggling,” said Vicki.
If you would like to help Vicki out, you can email ABC15’s Josh Kristianto at josh.kristianto@abc15.com.
