Eviction Survival 101

Update: I edited the blog by starting with the main tips and advice first, and I saved my story for last for readers who want to keep reading.

I bet you've heard of tons of eviction prevention resources all over the internet and through word of mouth, especially during your eviction proceedings, like Emergency Eviction Legal Services, the Tucson Pima Eviction Prevention Program, housing resources, or similar. But none of these resources tell you how to beat eviction with survival techniques and strategies, which I'll discuss below. These strategies are based on my experience. I want to emphasize that my strategies may not be the right fit for you. Some of them may work well for a single man in his 20s or 30s with no kids, compared to an elderly man in his 80s, or they may not be ideal for young women, whether they have kids or not, facing eviction. Please consider my advice as a testimony rather than a 'What you need to do' lecture.

Here’s my advice for eviction survivors who are trying to stay on top of things, like yourself. Again, my advice isn’t one-size-fits-all. Being a single dad with one kid isn’t the same as being a single mom with three kids or an elderly man at risk. But the common denominator we all share is trying to stay on top of the game.

1 - Stay calm

Don't panic or get overly triggered. And definitely don't harass the landlord or gossip about them. You might lose housing or employment, but an eviction itself won't end your life. I've got two evictions on my record (2008 and 2024), but look at me—I'm still here.

2. Search for help, but don't expect to get it quickly.

It took me reaching out to every agency around town, which exhausted my efforts, until my church stepped in to help with my situation. Honestly, if it wasn't for the church, I had no idea what my next option would have been, but I'm grateful for my connections, even the old ones. Sometimes, you might need to reactivate connections with people you used to socialize with, and they may help you—who knows? Your help could be hundreds of miles away from where you are now, so be creative in how you seek assistance. Writing letters was one of the creative things I did. I mailed letters, and one of them went to Green Valley, Arizona. Guess what? That's how I found rent assistance!

3 - If you have money but not enough to cover rent owed and other costs like judgment fees, etc., get a storage unit now while you can.

Securing your personal belongings should be a priority, especially when you're at risk of being evicted forcefully. Luckily, there was a storage facility across the street from the mobile home park, so it was very accessible for me. No 27-minute walk both ways like I had to do in 2008, lol. Seriously, storage may be a little pricey—like $100/month—but vacating the premises can give you peace of mind and even strengthen your case against the writ of restitution.

4- If you have kids and are at risk of eviction, talk to DCS immediately.

It's about transparency and responsibility. You won’t get in trouble for sharing your situation with DCS, especially if you have no relatives or anyone who can ensure your kids are in a safe environment while you try to get back on your feet.

5 - Gotta get money for a new place or room. Legitimate money, though!

If you need to sign up for a class at Pima Community College to get some housing help, then do it! Seriously. Volunteer or get involved with organizations, and you'll see—resources just kind of... show up when you're not even looking for them. I know, it sounds backwards, right? But trust me, it works!

6 - Be patient.

Once you've done your part—securing your belongings and making sure your dependents, including kids, are in a safe environment—then you just have to be patient and persistent. Don't try to rush things. As I always say, as long as you stay actively involved in the community, resources will naturally follow.

7 - Maintain your appearance.

Look your best. Stay sharp, maintain your hygiene, and take care of your hair. If possible, hit the gym (most people living in cars use Planet Fitness for showers!). Avoid alcohol, drugs, and even cigarettes—they can hurt your overall well-being. Being homeless is tough enough, and there's no reason to add alcohol into the mix. Zero. Make sure your appearance reflects your strength!

These seven eviction survival tips are based on my experience as someone with two eviction records who has frequently dealt with housing instability during my nearly 18 years in Tucson. I hope my advice serves as a guide, and I encourage you to incorporate these tips into your living situation in a way that fits your needs. If you want to keep reading, go ahead.

I'm the guy who just turned 40 last January, and I have a five-year-old son who technically stays with me full-time despite our 50/50 custody arrangement. My co-parent and I are flexible with each other based on our living situation, like transportation issues, etc. Housing plays a significant role in my decision to be a full-time stay-at-home dad. For now, I pay my rent with Social Security Disability payments until I can replace it with a new income—one that doesn't rely on traditional employment, driving for Uber, or even Social Security Disability. I survived two eviction battles in less than twelve months! That’s why I’d rather put myself on welfare while taking care of my toddler boy, instead of dealing with things outside my control that affect my financial stability. I’ll talk more about it later in this story.

Let me share a brief background. My first eviction happened in 2008 at my first apartment in Tucson, Summit Ridge Apartments on North Craycroft Road near 22nd Street. I admit I had an intuitive feeling I should have fought it, because April 2008 was the last month of my lease, and I turned in the keys and moved out during the first week of that month. Yes, I did sign the lease renewal for May 2008, but I never stayed there that month. So, I believed I owed rent for March and April. I was only 22, still new to Tucson, and my resources weren’t established yet, so fighting the eviction wasn’t part of my strategy at the time

I moved to the GreenTree Apartments near Broadway Blvd, just down the street from Summit Ridge. A Catholic church is located next to GreenTree, with a nice mini-city owned park behind the apartment. Park Place Mall isn’t far, so I frequently walked to and from the mall during my stay at GreenTree. It was a month-to-month lease. Funny thing is, I used a shopping cart to transport my belongings between my old and new apartments during the late night—it was a 27-minute walk for both distances!

Pay attention to this: I was 22 years old with no kids and no major financial obligations that could impact my liberty, so I didn’t have anything to lose. My first eviction (actually, I moved out two weeks earlier before the eviction action became official, on April 30, 2008) didn’t trigger any psychological distress.

After joining the Latter-day Saints in June 2008, I was offered an affordable room at Mountain Plaza Apartments. It was privately owned and managed by an LDS queer couple (yes, they were Mormon queer ladies!). I agreed to take the deal, especially since Mountain Plaza had convenient access to downtown and the University of Arizona. My second 'college' experience had begun! (Gardner-Webb was my first college experience.) Paul Chamberlain was my first roommate in Tucson (he passed away in May 2017). He was in his 60s when we were roommates. He was a BYU graduate and educator, as well as an academic advisor at Pima Community College—the one who helped me with my community college enrollment. Unfortunately, I wasn’t 24 at the time, so I couldn’t apply for FAFSA without my parents! I’m still grateful for Paul. He was one of the most important figures in my early years living in Tucson. But his personality was pretty similar to that of my former Deaf mentor, Earl Brigham, which made my roommate experience with Paul difficult. Imagine living with Earl Brigham under the same roof every day? My Florida folks know what I mean lol. Paul was extremely devout in the LDS faith, and in LDS culture, they typically hold young men to high standards—so Paul held me to high standards! I stayed with Paul at Mountain Plaza for one year, then I met my future roommate and lifetime friend, Mark, at the institute near the University of Arizona. One Sunday, Mark and I stopped by his condominium near Starr Pass (owned by his parents), and his home was nicer than Mountain Plaza, with the same rent price. The rich environment there sold me on it! So, I agreed to move into the Starr Pass apartments for the summer. Paul wanted to live closer to his work, so we both agreed it was time to part ways as roommates. Actually, since we were no longer roommates, Paul became my academic advisor due to no conflict of interest. 

I stayed with Mark and other college-age roommates for the full summer. Mark's parents sold the condominium. I found a duplex home for rent on a flyer at the institute. Mark moved to Mountain Plaza, and ironically, he stayed in the same unit where Paul and I used to live!

The church helped me with the move-in cost. I lived in a duplex house on East Calle Arizona in the Amphitheater Unified School District, not far from Tucson Mall and somewhat near the University of Arizona. Unlike Mountain Plaza, where you could easily walk to the campus, you had to take a public bus, which was one route to and from the university campus and my duplex home. I met some neighbors, and one of them became a friend, someone I still stay in touch with today. I often hung out with college friends at Northside Apartments, not far from my home. I lived in the East Calle Arizona duplex for five years, which was the longest tenancy I had in Tucson.

It's important to note that my living situations at both homes, as a roommate with Paul and Mark, provided a support system and accountability. They (including my college roommates at Mark's) kept each other in check, ensuring that rent was paid. However, I didn't have the same level of accountability at my duplex home since I was living alone. Despite managing my housing situation at the East Calle Arizona duplex without issues for five years, two things negatively impacted my income: FAFSA Pell Grants were withheld due to non-payment on student loans I had received during my time at Gardner-Webb, leaving me with no money for school. I used some of my SSDI payment for tuition, which I know wasn't the smartest decision. Despite managing my housing situation at the East Calle Arizona duplex without issues for five years, two things negatively impacted my income: FAFSA Pell Grants were withheld due to non-payment on student loans I had received during my time at Gardner-Webb, leaving me with no money for school. I used some of my SSDI payment for tuition, which I know wasn't the smartest decision. Secondly, my SSDI payments were dramatically reduced due to an overpayment. I don't remember exactly what caused the overpayment, but I do remember that it was reduced. Because of this, I struggled to make rent on time, even though I did pay.

Sometimes, my parents and even the church helped me with rent. I often found odd day-to-day jobs in the coffee newsletter, like passing out local candidates' flyers throughout neighborhoods, doing yard work for the neighbor across the street, construction cleaning, and even tutoring ASL (mostly paid in lunch instead of money—most college kids are broke lol). They weren’t really permanent jobs. No eviction action during those five years, but the housing instability was real!

Thanks to a temporary job at a nursing home, I was able to pay off my first student loan. This allowed me to register for classes, but for some reason, I didn’t—I don’t remember why I didn’t register immediately after paying off the loan. (I had taken out two separate loans at Gardner-Webb. The second loan was more flexible and was actually forgiven just last summer!) However, I was exhausted from constantly asking people for help with my housing expenses, especially rent, so I started looking for a roommate. 

I couldn’t find a new roommate to move into my duplex home, but I did find a room for rent at a reasonable price in a duplex on North Tyndall Ave, near the University of Arizona. It was an easy walk to and from campus, and my new roommate was a young college guy in his early 20s—I was 29 at the time, lol. The lesson from this experience? It wasn’t exactly a recommendation, but it definitely makes for an interesting story! Technically, I entered a second generation of college culture at the University of Arizona in my 20s, but this time, it wasn’t with Mormons or conservatives. I often dealt with parties and girl drama while living there!

I forgot to mention something important that happened while staying at the East Calle Arizona duplex. I got my first car, a 2001 Dodge Stratus, and later bought a 2007 PT Cruiser after my first car accident. Having a vehicle changed my life and expanded my resources. The PT Cruiser played a significant role in my survival during homelessness. Okay, let's talk about what happened while staying with a college roommate.

My SSDI was enough for rent but not enough for basic needs like groceries, so I used my PT Cruiser to access resources like job searching and picking up food donations. Unfortunately, I ran into a Deaf girl with whom I had a "relationship" who began using my car for her illegal activities, like going to the smoke shop to get synthetic marijuana, and often took money for her addiction. I was naive at the time. I’d see her first thing after clocking out of work at Goodwill almost every day. Hanging out with her hindered my ability to maintain my financial productivity. I suspected that she might have been seeing other guys behind my back, using me as her "backup plan," you know. Due to my toxic financial commitment to her, my rent debts started to accumulate. An interesting note is that the landlord didn’t check on me and my roommate regarding late rent until tax filing season, around February 2015. The landlord contacted us regarding the rent. I was embarrassed because I had no money to cover the full rent debts. It was true that she owed me money, but drug addicts typically never paid what they owed. I used my entire Goodwill paychecks combined with my SSDI for the full month’s rent, but it still wasn’t enough. My roommate's parents paid for his portion. However, the landlord didn’t check on either of us during the period between August 2014 and February 2015! Wait, Reggie?! Why did you commit to the Deaf girl?! Simple answer: I craved companionship. My craving completely died when I adopted the red pill mentality later as I got older.

No eviction action was taken, but for the sake of peace within my roommate's circle, I decided to leave. Fortunately, I found an apartment right next to the Goodwill store on East Speedway Blvd, where I worked. My SSDI was suspended, and my entire paycheck went to car payments and rent, leaving me with no money for groceries or electricity! Here's my advice: A low-paying job (minimum wage) is never worth giving up your SSDI. I wish I had the courage to say no to a full-time work schedule, but I didn't. Goodwill didn’t cover my cochlear implant treatment, but Medicare did, even though I had been putting so much trust in Goodwill for five years.

I stayed at Bellevue Apartments near the Goodwill store for about eight months on a month-to-month lease. There were lots of refugees staying at Bellevue. I had an idea in mind: I could pay off my car if I made a temporary sacrifice by living in my car for a while, which I did. I moved my belongings into storage, opened a new mailing address at the UPS Store, and then found a spot near the University of Arizona where I could park my car while sleeping. UA neighborhoods are the most common areas for people living in vehicles. 

Note: During the housing transition between my last home, Bellevue Apartments, and living in my car, I stayed at the Deaf girl's apartment during the cold weather in November and December 2015. I was the only one with a job, and everyone there saw me as their ATM, so I left the day after Christmas. I haven’t seen or spoken to her since.

I started living in my car on December 27, 2015, and it ended in March 2019—four years! The only accomplishment from that experience was paying off my car loan. I didn’t save money while living in my car, but I also had no new financial liabilities on my record between 2015 and 2019. Because of that, I was able to buy a new vehicle in February 2019 without a cosigner, using my tax refund as a down payment. I primarily used my new vehicle for Uber and Lyft. However, if I could start over, I’d either buy a small van with my tax refund or, if I had known about home-buying resources in 2019, I would’ve used my tax refund for a down payment match through Family Housing Resources, which helps low-income people buy their first home. Unfortunately, I only learned about this program after my second eviction!

In March 2019, I moved in with Illiana, before we had a kid together. The idea of having a child wasn’t on my mind while pursuing my career in CDL trucking and trying to save and invest my money with Uber/Lyft earnings while staying with Illiana. I thought I had finally gotten everything together and was on the "right" track toward financial independence until we both learned that we were going to become parents in the upcoming January! I was forced to change my strategy to prioritize the needs of our new family instead of my individual interests. Honestly, I didn’t worry about not having a home because being on the road was my original plan as a single guy with no kids. But with Malik on his way into the world in a few months, I needed to get my things together for a new home for the three of us. So, I threw all of my Uber/Lyft earnings into housing, especially since I had no SSDI at the time. I wasn’t financially prepared when we moved into Palomino Crossing Apartment Homes, down the same street on East Irvington Road, not far from Illiana's old apartment. I wish I had applied for my SSDI when I moved into Palomino Crossing, but it wasn’t on my mind at the time. I believe I’d be in a totally different situation by now if I had resumed my SSDI payments while staying at either Illiana’s old apartment or Palomino Crossing. It was a very critical resource that could have prevented me from facing my first eviction at Palomino Crossing. Unfortunately, I missed that opportunity.

So, we didn’t expect Malik to have multiple disabilities, which meant a lot of trips to appointments during his first few years. All those medical obligations made it harder for me to work, and I ended up losing income a few times. To make up for it, I overworked with Uber/Lyft, which led to burnout, and eventually I had to stop driving for Uber earlier than I planned. On top of that, Illiana had open heart surgery twice and couldn’t take care of Malik by herself, so he ended up in my care. Because of that, I had to cut back on my work hours.

All of that made it harder for me to pay rent on time during my three years at Palomino Crossing. Yes, we could have applied for SSI for Malik sooner, but we kept running into barriers while working on the application. Malik's conditions hadn’t been fully diagnosed yet, which made the process even more challenging. On top of that, I hadn’t resumed my own SSDI at that time. The first two attempts to apply were denied while we were at Palomino Crossing. Looking back now, I wish I had applied for my SSDI earlier, but I’m also glad Malik’s SSI wasn’t approved back then. If Malik's SSI had been approved earlier, I had no idea what the payee representation situation would be like today. Sometimes it feels like timing works against us, but it actually works out in our favor.

Anyway, the final months at Palomino Crossing were difficult as I hadn’t made new income with Uber and had started working a new job. Relationship breakup affected Illiana negatively, and she struggled with her grief while trying to maintain the household while I was working. I paid the July rent, plus the late fees, with money from Malik's savings, but we both didn’t realize that the property manager had lost Illiana's July rent check, which mistakenly triggered eviction action.

When I figured out the issue with Illiana's missing payment, I did everything in my power to work it out with the property manager, but it was their own self-denial to acknowledge the mistake on their end. Unfortunately, Illiana didn’t make an effort to hold the property manager accountable. With the help of an eviction lawyer (provided by Pima County Emergency Eviction Legal Services!), we were able to close the case with no judgment or debts.

But I suffered a lot of damages, like being temporarily homeless, being separated from Malik, and the post-eviction situation affecting my employment, especially with attendance.

Worst of all, I was judged by many people, including my own family, who assumed I hadn’t done enough to handle the situation. What the heck?! I swear more than a billion times that I exhausted all my resources—contacted EVERY agency in Tucson and even in the Greater Phoenix area. Nothing happened. That's right. NOTHING! 

Yes, I was angry at my folks for judging me, but I have to remind myself that nobody in my family has experienced homelessness or being nearly homeless like I have. They just don’t understand the "game" from the homeless perspective.

And what's the worst of the worst? My own son moved in with Illiana and her new boyfriend at his apartment. Yeah, I understood the gas and electricity issues at Illiana’s grandma’s house, but I don't think she had any interest in fixing that issue while staying at Palomino Crossing, despite all the resources available for single mothers out there. I wanted to make sure Malik continued receiving early education without disruption at Ocotillo Learning Center, so I was actively looking for a new home in the same area where his school is located, and I found one.

I found a mobile home on Craigslist, located on South Country Club Road, managed by Landon Management Services LLC. I remember the rent was around $800. It was my first time having a place with three bedrooms and one bathroom. The housing conditions were alright but below average— the indoor climate temperature extremely cold in the winter and very hot in the spring. It had been seven years since I was a primary leaseholder, back in 2016! So, I moved in there with the goal of securing my SSDI. Unfortunately, the SSDI process took months, and I rarely had a car to do food delivery. My part-time job was my only source of income because I couldn’t have Malik in my care during the workweek.

I'm all for free agency—Illiana can do whatever she wants. She deserves a new journey with her new partner, but her actions had consequences that impacted my employment indirectly. Technically, I know I was fired due to my attendance. I often skipped work on Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays because I was stuck with Malik while she was out of town with her partner, so I eventually gave up the job for good. Luckily, I had applied for and got approved for rent assistance while I still had a job, because one of the requirements for rent assistance was that you must have a job.

I received the eviction notice on March 27th, 2024, and the hearing was scheduled for Monday, April 8th (on my scheduled workday!). I even begged Judge Ron Newman to reschedule the hearing for one of my off days, but unfortunately, my request didn’t fit into the court’s schedule. What I learned is that, just like in criminal courts, eviction courts often prioritize the landlord’s needs, even if it conflicts with your obligations, like your employment commitments. I lost my job on Wednesday, April 10th, following the eviction hearing. Ironically, I received rent assistance money in my bank account on the same day as the eviction hearing!

Instead of sending the money directly to the landlord, it didn’t make sense to pay them after they "won" the judgment against me, especially since I had filed an appeal. Even if I paid, they could still kick me out unless I agreed to pay a double security deposit, and I didn’t have enough money to cover what I owed, plus the judgement cost, and new rent. So, I used the rent assistance to pay the supersedeas bond. Honestly, even DES said I could use the rent assistance for the bond, but I thought I might be able to do better with it—like finding a new place or something.

So it became the second eviction on my record since 2008! Even though I fought it this time, the outcome wasn't what I hoped for. The judgment still stands in the appellate court, but the opposing lawyer didn't charge me for the court costs associated with the appeal.

The funny part is that after months of Judge Ron Newman being mysteriously MIA and inactive on this eviction case, he returned to make rulings on overdue motions. He denied all of my motions, even held the bond hearing one week before the appellate court, and issued a writ of restitution despite the fact that I had already turned in the keys and moved out on July 5th—two months before the last-minute bond hearing, which was scheduled for September 2025. Writ of restitution alone made it seem like the judge didn't even review my motion, where I clearly stated that I had already moved out and had notified the opposing lawyer about my departure. Interesting experience, lol.

Now, I'm living in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment and enjoying being a stay-at-home dad at my place somewhat full-time, not too far from Malik's school. Yes, I'm on SSDI, and Malik's on his SSI too. It's really interesting to see how my housing situation has evolved over almost 18 years, from 2007 to now, 2025!

Lack of a reliable support system was a big reason for my housing instability, and I didn’t have a basic income (SSI & SSDI) to support my housing, especially after 2015. Enough about my story, though. I’m sharing this to emphasize that I truly understand your feelings about being evicted. I’ve been in your shoes before.

Stay optimistic!