"In this economy, we do have a lot of families that are struggling," Denver Human Services Director of Communications Revekka Balancier said.
According to the 2009 American Housing Survey, which uses information from U.S. Census data, people in 191,000 households moved because they were being evicted. That is a 127 percent increase over the last time the survey was conducted in 2007.
The survey got its numbers based on a sample of 45,000 occupied housing units.
Deputies with the Denver Sheriff's Department carry out evictions in the City and County of Denver. According to information provided by a spokesperson, 1,005 evictions have occurred so far in 2010.
That number is on track to be a slight increase over 2009, when people in 1,748 households were evicted.
The eviction numbers include apartment renters and homeowners whose properties have been foreclosed upon; but the homeowners had to be forcibly removed from those homes.
"If somebody is being evicted, we'll have outreach coordinators go to the home, make sure they have a place to stay, coordinate emergency housing or find other ways to make sure they have a safe place to live," Balancier said.
Denver Human Services also provides an eviction assistance program which can help provide storage services when a person's belongings are removed from the home.
"It basically helps with storage and moving so that if people are being evicted, they do not lose their belongings," Balancier said.
The study also shows that some Americans are moving to cheaper or "worse" housing.
According to the figures, 18 percent of the participating households say they moved to a "worse" home. Four percent moved in order to find a lower rent and five percent moved to reduce overall costs. The research also found that 10 percent of homes are now occupied by five or more people.
To learn more about programs aimed at helping those facing eviction, visit www.denversroadhome.org or http://www.denvergov.org/Family_and_Adult/EvictionAssistance/tabid/387009/Default.aspx.
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