By USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
A bipartisan push to give money to Arizona residents struggling to pay rent passed a key committee hearing, though not without some Republican criticism.
The bill sponsored by Rep. Alma Hernandez, a Tucson Democrat, would create a new program to pay up to two months of rent or $5,000, whichever is less expensive, for households with at least one child under 18 that are experiencing “an unexpected and temporary financial emergency.”
The money comes with no strings attached for tenants and doesn’t have to be paid back. Landlords, who in most cases would collect the payment, wouldn’t be allowed to evict tenants for the months covered by the payments.
The program would be initially funded with $5 million, an amount supporters hope would rise if the program proves popular. Maricopa County Justice Courts report more than 88,000 evictions took place in 2025 in metro Phoenix alone, down from about 107,000 the year before.
