Record number of evictions filed in Maricopa County in 2024

PHOENIX – The number of metro Phoenix evictions filed in 2024 hit a record level, according to Maricopa County court officials.

Valley justice courts handled 81,197 eviction cases last year, over 3,500 more than the previous record from 2005 and 5% higher than 2023’s total.

In addition, Maricopa County wrapped up 2024 with its busiest December ever for evictions, with 7,339 filings.

Arizona residents who are struggling to pay their monthly rent are encouraged to try to work out a deal with their landlords or seek rental assistance before the situation ends up in court.

That’s because hardship is not an excuse for missing rent under state law, according to Maricopa County Judge Anna Huberman.

“There are very few legitimate defenses to the nonpayment of rent, and most of them are only just technical — that the landlord didn’t give adequate time for the notice, or the notice was deficient in some way, was missing some specific language,” Huberman told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday. “But, there’s really no defense to why I didn’t pay my rent.”

Judge describes her experience with metro Phoenix evictions

Huberman, whose Avondale precinct was the county’s busiest for evictions in December, said people who face eviction often try to explain their situation in court, even though it won’t help their case.

“They want you to know that it’s not that they just ignored it, that they didn’t understand that they had that obligation,” she said. “And they just talk about the hardship that they had. … It’s never easy to hear that folks are trying and they just have a hard time.”

Unexpected events such as job loss, illness and late payments for work done are among the reasons Huberman hears.

“No one has that extra month of rent sitting in the bank, and so any hardship just sets them back and makes them miss the rent payment,” she said.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Balin Overstolz McNair contributed to this report.

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