SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane is on track to see a record number of evictions this year and experts warn this crisis is not getting better anytime soon.
“Housing has transitioned from a necessity to a commodity”, said Dr. Tim Thomas from the Eviction Research Network at UC Berkley.
Experts are calling it an eviction crisis and Spokane is one of the hardest hit in all of Washington. Around 1 in 33 renters faced eviction in the county in the past year.
“(It’s) very likely that things that live in Spokane know somebody who’s been facing that problem,” said Thomas.
Dr. Thomas has intensely studied evictions in the state. His most recent findings reveal Spokane has the most months above historical average in the state with most months ranging from an 80-140% increase.
“This is twice as high that the state has seen,” Thomas said.
SNAP, a local organization tackling the crisis, says although it has felt the strain of rising evictions, the resources available to help have decreased, forcing it turn away those in need of help.