LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Evictions in the valley show no signs of slowing down.
Those struggling to keep a roof over their heads and fight an eviction encounter a lot of legal red tape.
This is why attorney’s with the Legal Aid Center of Nevada have started to be present at the Civil Law Self Help Center at the Regional Justice Center on Monday.
There were lines out the door Monday morning when FOX5 arrived.
Each person in line had their own worry while they held on to any ounce of hope. In line was Alexia Hull who told FOX5 how it felt like to be forced out of her apartment.
“They wouldn’t even let us get our stuff out of the apartment,” Hull said.
Hull and her mom were evicted in 2020, but on Monday, Hull had her baby in her arms as she was at the Civil Law Self Help Center trying to get the eviction off her name on top of dealing with finding a place to live.
“The rent is so high and then you have to pay for food all that stuff and cloths,” Hull said.
Hull tells FOX5 she has been on the waiting list for Sec. 8 housing since 2019.
High rent and hard times is what housing attorney Harrison Bohn believes is what is causing residents out of their homes.
Bohn is with the Legal Aid Center of Nevada.
On Monday, he and his team have started to be at the the Civil Law Self Help Center where residents are supposed to respond to any eviction notices.
“Ultimately people have to be able to pay rent, and that’s what we see the most common where they fell behind a month or two and they cant make it back up,” Bohn said.
On Monday, Bohn had people waiting to have their questions answered or simply vent.
“I’m motivated by making a difference even if that means telling someone, ‘Hey, you are only going to have three more weeks in your unit, you have to find a new place right now, it’s better they hear it from me than in three weeks Infront of a judge,’” Bohn said.
New numbers Clark County provided show 33,195 households were granted evictions in 2023, and so far this year 6,189 households were evicted.
Bohn advised it is always best to respond to your eviction notice as soon as possible.
“It’s better to come on the first couple of days you received the notice than last, I had a couple people come in today and their notice was already expired,” Bohn said.
According to Bohn, responding through the court may be able to buy you some more time in your home.
“You can always negotiate with your landlord, like lets make a plan pay off everything before the hearing or see if you can find some where to go,” Bohn said.
Clark County also has an eviction diversion program for the most vulnerable in our community. After you file with the courts, only then will there be a decision if you are referred to this program. You can qualify if you are 62 and older, have young children under 4 years old or have a disability.
Clark County tells FOX5, as of Jan 2024, 378 people have been referred to the eviction diversion program. Though there is not a waiting list, we are still waiting to find out how many were accepted into the program.
Lawyers from Legal Aid Center of Nevada will be on site at the Regional Justice Center every Monday, and periodically throughout the week.
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