An eviction on your record can make it tough to find a place to live. But fighting the eviction in court can be costly. And it doesn’t always help.

Evictions in the greater Tampa Bay region surged last year compared to pre-2020 levels. That’s a trend felt nationwide, as emergency rental assistance put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic dried up, and as federal protections that were put in place to make sure people who were out of work didn’t lose their homes expired.

WUSF’s Gabriella Paul, who covers paycheck to paycheck issues, has been following the story over the last several months, talking with renters, landlords, and experts who are tracking the data on evictions and working to help people stay in their homes and deal with the legal fallout from evictions.

Paul joins Florida Matters to talk more about her reporting on evictions and their impact on people who’ve lost their homes. Also joining the show is Tom DiFiore with Bay Area Legal Services.