TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For single parent Bertrand Shoberg and his teenage daughter, the apartment they have now represents a milestone. Even cleaning and cooking for his daughter in his own apartment, is something Shoberg said was a privilege, simply because of where he lives.
Shoberg was first evicted in 2021 after the eviction moratorium ended.
"He wanted to raise the rent. I couldn't afford to pay the rent so I had to move out," Shoberg said about his landlord.
Shoberg faced eviction again in 2023, saying he was also facing troubles with hours at his job and his daughter getting COVID.
“I take her to the doctor, she had COVID. During the whole process of that, that’s when the landlord lets me know he’s not renewing my lease," Shoberg said. "It's an against all odds kind of thing. I have to do what I have to do as a parent," Shoberg said.
When facing the possibility of homelessness, Shoberg reached out to Chicanos Por La Causa, which provided hotel funding for about five weeks.
"I don't know what I would've done otherwise because they helped. Where was I going to go with my kid?" Shoberg reflected.
Chicanos Por La Causa is among 11 organizations sharing $4 million in homeless assistance funding from the state allocation.
"I could use all the help I could get. I'll be able to take a day off and sleep for more than four hours at a time," Shoberg said with a laugh.
The Hobbs Administration reports investing over $150 million total toward eviction and homelessness prevention, with funding also supporting job training programs and addiction services.
Recently Governor Katie Hobbs allocated $13 million toward eviction and homelessness prevention programs as Arizona continues to see declining eviction rates following significant increases after pandemic-era protections ended.
The funding aims to build on recent progress, as eviction filings have dropped substantially. According to the Arizona Judicial Branch, statewide justice court eviction filings peaked at over 106,000 in fiscal year 2024 but decreased to over 87,000 in 2025. This represents a significant change from 2021, when there were about 45,000 filings during the eviction moratorium period.
In Pima County specifically, eviction filings dropped from over 12,000 in both fiscal years 2023 and 2024 to over 9,000 in 2025.
An additional $8 million is being distributed among 16 organizations for eviction prevention programs, including Portable Practical Educational Preparation (PPEP).
"We can be used for people that have a mortgage, people that are behind on their rent or people that have to move to a different address," said Lizbeth Lara, a PPEP case manager.
For families like the Shobergs, the assistance provides crucial support during difficult times.
"Keep a positive attitude and don't give up, especially if you have kids. They're going to remember that," Shoberg said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
