Facing a historic wave of eviction filings, Maricopa County is rolling out a new pilot eviction diversion program that aims to keep renters in their homes instead of on the courthouse steps. The effort links tenants who are already in the eviction pipeline with rental assistance, legal help and negotiated settlements, and leans on closer coordination between justice courts, landlords and community partners. Officials say the first phase will zero in on Phoenix ZIP codes with the heaviest volume of eviction cases and test whether court-connected diversion can cut judgments and housing instability.
According to 12News, the pilot borrows heavily from Texas’s eviction diversion playbook. Courts will be asked to coordinate with landlords and social-service groups so many nonpayment cases can be worked out before they reach the point of a forcible removal. County leaders say the early focus will be on Phoenix ZIP codes with the most filings and will rely on a mix of mediation, case management and referrals to rental assistance. If the pilot manages to reduce eviction judgments without driving up costs, county staff expect to recommend which tools should be expanded countywide.
In a county news release, Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said supervisors are putting housing security front and center and will partner with the City of Phoenix to "build a model that works" for both residents and landlords. Maricopa County officials said the pilot grew out of worry over consistently high eviction caseloads and the human fallout of displacement. Supervisors allocated one-time funds to test court-based interventions and to track whether referrals from the bench actually translate into faster, less costly resolutions for everyone involved.
Why the county is acting
Eviction filings in Maricopa County have surged to all-time highs, putting pressure on both the courts and the social safety net. Reporting from KJZZ shows there were 87,197 eviction filings in 2024, breaking a record that had already stood since 2005 and following several years with more than 80,000 cases. Local advocates argue that many of those filings trace back to short-term income shocks or administrative mix-ups rather than long-term abandonment, which makes prevention efforts and negotiated settlements a realistic and cost-effective target.
How the Texas model worked
The new pilot explicitly looks to the Texas Eviction Diversion Program for inspiration. In Texas, courts paused some eviction cases while tenants applied for financial relief, connected renters to rent assistance and legal aid, and kept many case records confidential. The Supreme Court of Texas reported that TEDP helped more than 25,000 renter households secure over $243 million in assistance during its run. Maricopa County officials say they intend to study those kinds of tools for local use, pulling lessons from Texas and other jurisdictions as they decide what to adopt. Texas Judicial Branch
What the county can tap
On the ground, the pilot will lean on programs Maricopa County already runs. The Human Services Department operates rental-assistance programs for households outside Phoenix, Mesa and Glendale, and those programs are expected to be key referral destinations. The Housing Stability Rental and Utility Assistance (HSRUA2) program can provide short-term payments for past-due rent and related fees. Residents who qualify can start applications through the county’s client portal or at local Community Action Program offices, and the county says caseworkers and CAP partners will be built into the referral network. Maricopa County Human Services
What research says
National research suggests these court-connected efforts can have real bite. The National Center for State Courts’ Eviction Diversion Initiative found that around 80 to 90 percent of diversion cases that engaged with the program wrapped up without an eviction judgment, while show-up rates improved and more tenants were linked to services. The interim report also notes that diversion programs can help seal records and strengthen connections to legal aid and rental assistance. According to the NCSC, the model both eases pressure on dockets and improves outcomes for tenants and landlords.
How tenants can get help
Tenants who receive an eviction notice in one of the targeted ZIP codes are being urged to act quickly by contacting the court listed on their paperwork and reaching out to local legal-aid groups. As 12News reports, the pilot builds in early outreach and referrals so renters can apply for help before they miss hearings and risk default judgments. Advocates recommend keeping copies of all communications with landlords, rent payment records and any documents that show financial hardship, then bringing that paper trail to court or to a meeting with a caseworker.
Legal notes
County officials stress that eviction diversion does not rewrite Arizona’s landlord-tenant law. Property owners still have standard court remedies for nonpayment, and judges still have the power to issue judgments and possession orders when the law supports them. The Texas program made many case records confidential and reimbursed landlords when relief funds covered back rent, features Maricopa County will examine for local feasibility. Arizona has also moved to expand record-sealing in some eviction cases, which advocates point to as a key benefit of diversion strategies, according to KJZZ.
For now, county leaders are calling the Phoenix pilot a first step. Staff will track outcomes and report back before they suggest any broader rollout. For tenants, the immediate message is straightforward: use the court and county referral channels early. The pilot is built to get help to renters sooner than the typical eviction clock would allow.
