More than 1,500 eviction filings were made in Denver in the first month of 2024, according to county court data.
The 1,548 evictions represent the second-highest number in at least the last five years. Denver reported 1,630 eviction filings in October of last year.
The number of filings rose 434 from December. And, while more evictions tend to happen in January, according to Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST), last month’s figure is 445 higher (40%) than January of 2023.
According to HOST, evictions — along with high housing costs and stagnant wages — are a factor that contributes to homelessness.
“Stabilizing housing services, like rent and utility assistance and eviction legal defense, are critical to staving off evictions and keeping people in their homes,” a HOST spokesperson told Denver7 in an emailed statement.
Elina Rodriguez, with the Community Economic Defense Project, which helps families facing eviction, said the filings in January are worrying and could be a devastating sign of things to come.