Arizona Landlords Filed Evictions After Receiving State Assistance

Despite receiving $10 million in rental assistance through a state-run program, landlords in Arizona have filed thousands of evictions since the pandemic began.

2 minute read

March 31, 2021, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Arizona Sprawl

Tim Roberts Photography / Shutterstock

Despite receiving financial assistance from a state program aimed at preventing evictions during the pandemic, some Arizona landlords "filed nearly 2,500 eviction notices during the pandemic," according to an investigation by Jessica Boehm, Catherine Reagor, and Ralph Chapoco for the Arizona Republic. "Gov. Doug Ducey's office launched the Arizona Rental Property Owner Preservation Fund in August with $5 million to assist landlords whose tenants were not paying their rent during the COVID-19 crisis. The state added an additional $5 million to the fund in September after the initial funds quickly ran out." The program "provided funding to 4,204 rental units at 869 properties across the state between August and January."

The fund was administered through Gov. Ducey's Economic Recovery Management Team rather than the state's Housing Authority and "differed from other rental assistance programs across the state because it allowed landlords to apply directly for aid instead of requiring tenants to apply." Tenant advocates claim that this created "the potential for landlords or renters to double-dip by applying to multiple pools of money through agencies that weren't sharing information." According to the Republic's investigation, "nearly half of the 633 Maricopa County properties that received assistance from the fund filed for evictions," including one landlord who, after receiving the largest sum in the program at close to $1 million, filed for more than 350 evictions. "Another landlord filed for eviction on almost 30% of his tenants at a single Glendale apartment complex despite receiving $50,000 in assistance."

Landlords argue that the assistance didn't go far enough and that evictions or rent raises were necessary to stay afloat. The Arizona Multifamily Association said in a statement, "the state has not allocated and deployed nearly enough funding to cover all the unpaid rent in the state." Because tenants are still required to meet certain conditions under last year's eviction moratoriums, they claim, "not all evictions filed last year were forbidden under eviction moratoriums." Property owners warn that, without further assistance, "the costs of unpaid rent — and the cost of maintenance, property taxes and other business expenses — would ultimately be passed along to tenants who do pay their rent."

Thursday, March 25, 2021 in Arizona Republic

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Rendering of Penrose Roundabout in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts

Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

15 minutes ago - WHYY

Green painted bike lane with striped buffer between car lane and curb parking lane.

Why Bike Lanes Are Good: An Explainer for the US Transportation Secretary

Sean Duffy says there’s no evidence that bike lanes have benefits. Streetsblog — and federal agencies’ own data — beg to differ.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses

The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.

April 25 - Associated Press