Rental Evictions Still A Problem In Western New York

Since the end of the emergency protections put in place because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, areas all over the nation saw a massive spike in the number of evictions and foreclosures filed in local and state courts.

Of course, New York was no different, with more than 350,000 eviction notices being filed in the Empire State since the COVID eviction ban ended.

Erie County Led The State In Evictions in 2022

For all of 2022 and the early part of 2023, Western New York led the state in evictions.

Things in WNY were so bad that local government officials deemed it necessary to begin holding town halls in an effort to find a way to stem the number of people who were losing their housing.

While the latest data shows that Erie County no longer leads the state in evictions, that does not mean the problem has gone away.

Evictions Still A Problem In New York

Organizations in Western New York like Belmont Housing Resources, Rental Assistance Corp, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Neighborhood Legal Services, and the Buffalo Urban League all report that the problem continues to be a significant issue for many people.

Thousands of eviction notices have been sent to renters in WNY, and the trend does not seem to be slowing down.

Organizations all over the area work every day to help keep people in their homes when they've fallen behind on their rent. Us finding ways to help people stay in their homes can only help keep our neighborhoods vibrant and full of life.
-Beverly Moore, Buffalo Urban League

A few housing programs are available to help people, but there doesn't seem to be enough funding to stem the coming tide of people who will be on the streets.