For about a year and a half, nationwide eviction bans protected many tenants from losing their housing. But those bans have expired or been struck down and evictions are rising as a result.
A new report from the Wyoming Supreme Court shows that evictions in the state have risen 16 percent between fiscal years 2021 and 2022. In fiscal year 2022 — which started July 2021 and lasted through June 2022 — there were nearly 1,200 eviction cases filed in Wyoming's circuit courts.
The rise in evictions parallels the end of many pandemic-era protections. On the housing front, two back-to-back eviction bans kept people in their homes even if they were out of work, while emergency rental assistance programs helped many who were struggling to make their rent and utility payments.
Wyoming's rental assistance program stopped taking new applications in November.
Evictions are officially known as 'forcible entry and detainers' and account for just one percent of all cases brought before circuit courts.
The new report breaks down all cases brought to Wyoming circuit courts in fiscal year 2022. The overwhelming majority — almost 60 percent — were traffic violations. Another 22 percent were criminal cases.
Traffic violations, criminal offenses and general civil claims all decreased between fiscal years 2021 and 2022. Even as evictions jumped 16 percent, there was an overall 10 percent drop in the total number of civil cases brought before Wyoming circuit courts.
The report notes that data like this will now be collected and organized in a more uniform way — the way that other states already do it. This will allow for more easy comparisons between Wyoming and other states.