Metro Phoenix evictions and rents dip slightly in October

Metro Phoenix eviction filings dipped slightly in October, after climbing to a 13-year high in September.

Landlords moved to evict 6,408 renter households, according to Maricopa County Justice Courts. That’s down 4% from the 6,685 eviction filings in September.

The West Valley is seeing the most eviction cases, said Scott Davis, a spokesperson for the courts.

Metro Phoenix rents have been inching down. The Valley’s median rent dipped by 1% in September and again in October, according to Apartment List.

The slowdown comes after the Phoenix area nearly led the nation for rent increases in 2021. Phoenix rents saw an almost 30% jump.

Dipping rents: Some metro Phoenix cities see rents dip, but don't expect apartment bargains. Here's why

The current pace of metro Phoenix evictions is nearly double what it was during the first year of the pandemic, despite the dip last month.

Eviction filings fell in 2020 and most of 2021 due to moratoriums for renters who could show COVID-19 affected their health or income. The final moratorium ended in August 2021, and Maricopa County evictions have mostly been trending up since then.

Reach the reporter at catherine.reagor@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8040. Follow her on Twitter @CatherineReagor.

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