The number of elderly people who can barely pay their rent is increasing. And for many, that means the possibility of eviction. Last month, nearly 8,000 eviction cases were filed in Maricopa County courts.

Tami Bohannon is president and CEO of the Foundation for Senior Living (FSL).

“We have 24 affordable housing communities throughout the state of Arizona, totaling about 998 units. So every night, over 1,000 seniors have a place to call home.”

FSL has been doing this for 30 years.

“And it’s become much more difficult for us to build an affordable housing development. We’ve been trying to build a site in Flagstaff for six years and we still haven’t been able to raise the capital we need,” Bohannon said. Bohannon says the Flagstaff project is expected to cost $32 million.

FSL has another affordable housing community in Flagstaff.

“It’s 15 years old, Flagstaff Senior Meadows. There’s a waiting list for that property of over three years,” Bohannon said.

In the meantime, she says, “we have introduced a program to prevent evictions, we are running a pilot project.”

FLS receives calls every day from seniors who are on the verge of losing their homes.