SARPY COUNTY, Neb. (KMTV) – Sarpy County has seen an increase in evictions over the last two years. Now, some groups worry for the new year as ERAP funds run out.
- Eviction rates have continued to increase in the county
- Some weeks, the courthouse sees 25-30 evictions
- Groups worry these nubers may increase even more as ERAP fund run out in next year
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
An average of 13 Sarpy County neighbors are evicted each week, according to Lift up Sarpy County, and there are groups here who say it will get even worse in the new year.
“Year by year we see a slow uptick to greater numbers there were before the pandemic,” said Scott Mertz, director of the Housing Justice Project at Legal Aid of Nebraska.
The numbers continue to tick in the wrong direction. Sarpy County is now seeing 25 to 30 evictions during the week at times, even with neighbors receiving help.
“We have had federal rent assistance in Sarpy and the state for over a year now and that's really helped, it's helped keep people housed longer,” Mertz said.
Now those funds are running low, and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is expected to come to a halt because of the lack of money.
The county will start seeing even more of increase in evictions in 2025, according to Mertz.
"(ERAP) is going to end though soon and we are going to see a real difference in the outcomes and number of filings no doubt,” he said.
With the funds running out just after the holidays and during the colder months, Tanya Gifford, executive director for Lift Up Sarpy County said she is concerned about what is going to come for neighbors who rely on the program.
"That is the time of year when utility bills are at the highest because of heat and then you also got the holidays and additional expenses so I foresee the first quarter of 2025 being rough,” Gifford said.
As neighbors are removed from their homes because they can't keep up with the rising costs, they may also be forced to leave the county because of the lack of affordable housing. This is an ongoing issue for Sarpy County KMTV has continued to report on.
"We don't have the housing to put them back into, there is a very low supply of low income or work force development type housing they can afford as a single parent or minimum wage type salary,” Gifford said.
Without enough housing and lack of rental assistance, Gifford said something needs to be done.
"Us as a county needs to step up and address our people here, I know it is going to take time to build more affordable housing and get those infrastructures in place, but we also have to do something to accommodate our people,” she said.
As the numbers continue to rise, Gifford said she hopes the county or state will act soon.
