Eviction filings in Maine were up by 16 percent last year, according to Maine court records.
Nearly 6,000 cases were filed, most often due to nonpayment of rent.
Katie McGovern, managing attorney for Pine Tree Legal Assistance, attributed much of the problem to the end of rental assistance programs offered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When people had fallen significantly behind in their rent and there were no resources available, it was difficult or impossible to resolve those cases in a way to allow those tenants to stay in their housing,” she said.
McGovern said even in cases where they’re able to work out agreements where tenants have time to look for their next home, that has proven to not be enough time because there are so few affordable housing units available.
She said some evicted tenants become unhoused, and even those with jobs cannot sustain rental payments that exceed more than 30 percent of their income.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated the incorrect percentage increase of eviction filings. They increased by 16 percent from 2022 to 2023.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.