Maricopa County's high eviction rates pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic, but the influx of federal funding to help renters gave agencies the opportunity to not only help more people but to anticipate exactly where those most vulnerable to evictions are located.
Vitalyst Health Foundation, analyzed Census data showing the areas in Maricopa County with the most cost burden for renters, which is defined as spending more than 30% of monthly income on housing.
"We literally could come up with a series of zip codes, where the rent burden was higher," said Vitalyst CEO Suzanne Pfister. "So we knew that those people were probably the most at risk and the most vulnerable."
Pfister said that data helps the Rental Assistance Collaborative to target social media ads for rental assistance to people living in 13 zip codes with the highest rates of cost-burdened renters.
Those renters are directed to Azevictionhelp.org, which is run by the Arizona Bar Foundation.
