WVXU's Cincinnati Edition took a closer look at a disturbing local trend. Evictions are up in Hamilton County as resources to help families have become scarce.
The radio segment featured a conversation with host Lucy May, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Pavan Parikh, and Nick Zingarelli, director of the Hamilton County Help Center and staffer at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.
"We have surpassed per pandemic levels of evictions and the numbers don't show any signs of abating right now," Parikh told Cincinnati Edition. "As of this point of the year we are already over 8,000 eviction filings. There were years during the pandemic when that would have been the entire year and we are already there."
Parikh expects filings to easily surpass the 13,000 mark by the end of the year.
Zingarelli says it is difficult to get to the root of the issue, but that many are affected by the loss of a job, sickness, a divorce or some type of unexpected life event that impacts their ability to pay rent.
"Unfortunately, we see a lot of evictions where landlords are filing for relatively small amounts of money, less than $1,000 of rent owed is not unusual to see the reason for an eviction complaint filed," Zingarelli told Cincinnati Edition.
Rents are increasing as the Cincinnati area housing market tightens.
"There is a housing shortage right now and there are not enough units," says Zingarelli. "It's basic supply and demand. There is not enough supply, and demand is there so sadly the rates are going to continue to increase."
Zingarelli discussed the assistance that the Hamilton County Help Center offers individuals unable to afford an attorney as they navigate the eviction process. The Hamilton County Help Center is a partnership between the UC College of Law, the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, Municipal Court, Juvenile Court and the County Commission.
Listen to the full Cincinnati Edition segment on WVXU.
Featured top image shows WVXU's Lucy May and her guests Pavan Parikh and Nick Zingarelli in the studio. Photo provided.
