Rising housing costs and a new requirement for accessing rental assistance may be fueling the increase in eviction cases, observers say.

A new Harvard University study found that half of U.S. renters are paying nearly a third of their income on rent. Monthly rent has outpaced income across the U.S., and forced many to make tough decisions between everyday necessities and a home.

The housing crisis is touching Coloradans in multiple ways. In recent surveys, residents pointed to some of its underpinnings 鈥� affordable housing and homelessness 鈥� as their biggest concerns. In today's episode, Zach Neumann, an eviction attorney and co-founder of the Community Economic Defense Project, discusses what is working and what needs to change to keep more Coloradans housed.

Colorado's rising rent prices are worrying lawmakers. Several pieces of legislation are advancing at the State Capitol to address the housing crisis.

The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project started as a way to help people facing eviction in the wake of the pandemic. It hopes to expand into helping those facing foreclosure or other consumer debt collection scenarios.

In anticipation of the federal eviction moratorium expiring or being struck down, Gov. Jared Polis passed an executive order last month that gives tenants an extra 20 days to make up missed rent payments. That order expires on Sept. 4, but could be extended if a 鈥渟ignificant backlog鈥� of rental assistance remains, a spokeswoman for Polis said.

The stakes have risen sharply to get rental assistance aid to struggling Americans on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ends the national eviction moratorium.

Colorado has so far distributed more than $121 million in emergency rental assistance it received from various federal and state stimulus packages. But thousands of applications remain in limbo, according to data from the Department of Local Affairs.

The economic impacts of the pandemic have put a spotlight on housing instability, as Coloradans struggle to pay rent. A new program in Boulder aims to help tenants through housing instability by avoiding eviction.

Once created, the program鈥檚 staff will pair renters facing eviction with a city-appointed lawyer at no cost. A portion of the program will also provide direct financial assistance to some tenants.