LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Evictions are ramping up in Clark County partly because of the recent changes that were made to CHAP, also known as the Clark County Housing Assistance Program.
"It's just not a great feeling having to ask for help but I have to do anything that I can at this point,” Candace Tachibana, a single mother facing eviction, said.
Tachibana said she lost her job in November causing her to fall behind on rent. Earlier this month, she received an eviction notice.
"It's sad but it's the reality,” Tachibana said.
Tachibana said she filed an application through CHAP but she was unaware of the new requirements implemented last month.
"I'm trying to get a job and do what I can do but it's not as easy as people say to just go apply,” Tachibana said.
County officials said CHAP altered its criteria so the program will serve the most vulnerable populations.
The new requirements include:
- At least one member of the applicant household has to be on a fixed income.
- Has experienced a rent increase in the last 12 months.
- Received an eviction notice for not paying rent.
- Has experienced a change causing an inability to pay rent.
"A lot of people have lost their lifeboats that they had throughout the pandemic. All of that is leading to more evictions, more people being locked out that maybe survived for the last 18 months, two years because of the CHAP program,” Ryan McConnell, an attorney with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, said.
McConnell said since the CHAP change went into effect, their office inside of the Las Vegas Justice Court has been helping nearly 300 people a day.
"If you get an eviction notice, come down to the courthouse and file an answer, that's the most important thing that you need to do when you're going through this process. If not, you can get a default eviction against you and it causes a lot more problems,” McConnell said.
