A Bridgeport official is calling on state lawmakers to make better emergency services available to families facing eviction.

Sheriff David Goodman, whose job it is to serve evictions, says he has seen a 20 percent increase in apartment evictions over the past year. He says the trend is leading to an increase in the number of homeless families in the city.

Kendra Bennet-Walker says that even though she and her husband both work, they were recently evicted from their apartment because they weren't making enough money to meet the terms of a court-mediated payment agreement. She says it is unclear what will happen to her and her family.

A local nonprofit group has put Bennet-Walker and her family up in a motel until Friday, but it is unclear where they will go after that.

Goodman says families often end up getting separated because most shelters are unable to keep families together.

State Sen. Andres Ayalas says the Connecticut Department of Housing is working on a plan to help families in such situations. In the meantime, he says families facing eviction should call 211, the state's information network.