The future of hundreds of Phoenix’s homeless hangs in the balance following a recent court ruling. The Zone, the downtown Phoenix’s homeless encampment, has become a center of controversy and is now ordered to be cleared by Nov. 4 after a Maricopa County Superior Court Judge’s ruling.
The largest homeless camp in the state, known as, The Zone, has made consistent headlines over the past year including back in May when city officials decided to begin a sweeping cleanup of the area.
At that time, it was estimated that to humanely relocate inhabitants of The Zone it would take just shy of a year with a proposed deadline date of April of 2024.
However, the summer saw numerous reports claiming that the cleanup process was taking too long and local businesses have filed complaints stating that it’s impossible to operate while The Zone residents are still there.
Still, the people living in the downtown encampment have been at risk since its inception.
Record breaking heat, personal safety issues, lack of appropriate health services and even the temporary building shelters are reportedly unsanitary and unsafe and are just a few of the reported conditions that they encounter each day.
Some Zone residents told Northeast Valley News how they ended up being homeless, and records show that most residents have jobs and or some financial means but it’s simply not enough to pay for high cost of rent.
A series of systematic sweeps went on during the summer but a lack of progress frustrated many.
The surmounting challenges of record heat, sanitation and the many delays in relocation of homeless residents came to a head in July, when the City of Phoenix decided they were going to make a large investment of $5.4 million into what will reportedly be a 4.2 acre homeless structure, meant to have the resources needed to not only get people back on their feet but give them a place to stay until they can do so.
Following a unanimous council vote, a state-owned plot of land was set to be converted into a structured campground. Despite this step, eligibility criteria and policy considerations still cast a shadow of uncertainty with more delays over how the structure will actually operate and if it will meet the goals originally anticipated.
But with the most recent court order setting the a deadline for November 4—five months earlier than the original ruling, it’s unclear how the current homeless within The Zone will be transitioned.
Reportedly, the Valley can expect to see a possible surge in dislocated homeless until the new structured campground is fully complete, which estimates say will be mid-2024.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge, Scott Blaney, cited ongoing issues of human waste, trash, and illegal activity as reasons for the order in the ruling.
“When it rains, the soil in and around the area is so soaked with urine and human feces that the rain intensifies the smell,” Blaney said.
“Business and property owners do not go outside when it rains because of the puddles full of human urine and feces. The proliferation of human excrement and half-eaten food causes an infestation of flies and other insects in the Zone,” Blaney said.
The City of Phoenix leased land from the state and has put into motion a “sanctioned campground,” or an area for people to reside outside and reportedly with security and bathroom and shower facilities.
The city has stated that campground will be a “safe outdoor space.”
The campground will be located right on the outskirts of the Zone at 15th Avenue and Jackson Street.
A citizen petition is also in motion to track the duration of shelter stays and the circumstances surrounding each departure.
During a July hearing Gina Montes, deputy city manager for Phoenix spoke with regard to the case before Maricopa Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney and told Blaney,
“We are invested, as a city, in addressing this area around the Human Services Campus — for these people out there that are unsheltered, but in particular, for these property owners, homeowners, business owners,” Montes said. “We are all in. We have been working for many months, and we are not going back.”
While the city and activists scramble to meet the imposed deadline, the looming question remains – how will Phoenix navigate the homeless crisis?
