After eviction, one Tucsonan shares her story during her struggle to find affordable housing

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucsonan Alicia Nichols and her family are now miles away from the place she once called home. She grew up on the northside of town in the Flowing Wells and Amphi neighborhoods.

"I think it would be great if the whole area could go back to the way it was 10 years ago," she said. "It doesn't make you feel very safe or secure, and you should when you're paying thousands of dollars for rent."

She and her four kids were recently evicted from the Miraflores Apartments near Roger Road and First Avenue. Nichols was one of the neighbors who met with the property owner about issues in their units, like mold, in a story recently covered by KGUN 9's Tina Giuliano:

With an eviction on her record and the high cost of living, Nichols said it's been a struggle to find their next home. According to the Southwest Institute for Research on Women, about 24% of respondents in their research said eviction or unaffordable rents were their main causes of homelessness.

"It's almost impossible," she said. "No one wants to rent to you. There's help but you have to jump through so many hoops."

As she looks for her next steps, she said she hopes that change happens in both the cost of living and conditions.

Here's a list of housing resources in southern Arizona:

• Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness
• The Wildcat Inn and City of Tucson Housing First
• Tucson Eviction Help
• Old Pueblo Community Services
  
  • (520) 546-0122
• Primavera Foundation
  
  • (520) 623-5111
• Pima Neighborhood Investment Partnership
  
  • 520-295-2925