Idaho, Wisconsin Record Largest Quarterly Increase Among States in “Landlord/Tenant-Eviction” Concerns for LegalShield

- LegalShield Intake Data Points to Increasing Financial Pressure in Mountain States, Midwest as Consumers Turn to Lawyers for Housing Assistance Amid Eviction Fears

ADA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Idaho and Wisconsin recorded the largest increase among U.S. states and Canadian provinces in consumer requests for service relating to “landlord/tenant eviction” concerns, according to new intake data from LegalShield, the world’s leading provider of affordable legal and privacy protection plans. The company reviewed only states and provinces that had a minimum of 100 requests for service over the first six months of the year.

Comparing first to second quarter, Idaho recorded a 76.8% spike in requests for service around “landlord/tenant-eviction” concerns, the largest increase among any state, while Wisconsin notched a 45.7% increase. Louisiana (44.8%), Pennsylvania (35.9%), Rhode Island (23.9%), Ohio (23.1%), Maryland (22.6%), Iowa (22.4%), Arkansas (22.3%), and Texas (20.7%) rounded out the top 10 states with largest quarter-over-quarter increase.

“With millions of members across the U.S. and Canada, we can see almost immediately which legal issues are of greatest concern to individuals and family households,” said Keri Norris, Chief Legal Officer at LegalShield. “Since January, the number of requests for legal advice around housing and eviction have grown exponentially, and now represents one of the three most requested service needs for our members. While the media often focus their attention on the biggest states with largest numbers of coronavirus cases, our data shows that today’s economic hardship is widespread, which includes smaller states that are often ignored in the national discussion. As the President and Congress debate a new economic aid package, and extending the federal moratorium on evictions, it is an important reminder that we’re truly all in this together.”

In addition to reviewing state data, LegalShield also looked at cities throughout the country that were experiencing the largest increase in request for services around landlord-tenant evictions. Of the Top 50 states and provinces, three – California, Florida and Texas – accounted for more than half (26) of all cities seeing the most rapidly increasing needs around landlord-tenant issues. The company reviewed only cities that had a minimum of 50 requests for service over the first six months of year, however, California, Florida and Texas each had several thousand inquiries on average.

• In California, the city of Novato in northern Marin County saw the largest quarterly increase for LegalShield around landlord-tenant eviction concerns of any city in the country, jumping 280.0% from the end-of-March to end-of-June period. After Novato, the cities in California showing the largest quarterly increases included Pleasanton (#9), Sunnyvale (#14), Oceanside (#15) and Moreno Valley (#16). California had the most cities showing financial strain, overall, with 17 in total making the Top 50 list.

• In Florida, the cities of Melbourne (#2) and Miramar (#4) ranked in the top five for landlord-tenant eviction concerns, according to LegalShield, followed by Altamonte Springs (#20), Tamarac (#23), Tampa (#36) and Homestead (#43).

• In Texas, the cities of Carrolton (#35), Tomball (#40) and Plano (#47) witnessed the most significant rise in housing-eviction concerns, for the company.

About LegalShield and IDShield

A trailblazer in the democratization of affordable access to legal protection, LegalShield is one of North America’s largest providers of online legal subscription plans covering more than 4.4 million people. Its IDShield identity theft solution for individuals and families has more than one million members. LegalShield and IDShield serve more than 141,000 businesses. In addition, over 40,000 companies offer LegalShield and IDShield plans to their employees as a voluntary benefit. Both legal and identity theft plans start for less than $25 per month. For more information about LegalShield, visit: https://www.legalshield.com/ or for more information about IDShield, visit: https://www.idshield.com/.