The eviction moratorium Gov. Doug Ducey established in March to keep people from losing their homes during the pandemic is set to expire in one month. But with the virus still surging, many Arizona lawmakers say it’s too soon to lift that order. A group of 33 Democrats from the state House and Senate are calling on the governor to extend the moratorium for six more months, through January.

In March, the state also launched a COVID-19 Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance program meant to help tenants pay rent if they had become ill or lost income during the pandemic. But of more than 16,000 applicants, not even 1,000 have been helped. Rep. Kirsten Engel said Arizonans now risk getting evicted before their applications are even processed.

“Because it’s been so slow, we feel we really have no alternative but to seek to extend the eviction order," she said. 

→ Few Have Been Helped By Arizona COVID-19 Eviction Prevention Program

In their letter to Ducey, the lawmakers warn of an “eviction cliff” July 23, when the state could start enforcing pending evictions.

“We foresee that there could be thousands of evictions filed at that time and simply no place for these people to go," Engel said. 

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