Title
Office of Homeless Solutions Program Report
Description
This report is issued monthly to provide the City Council with an update regarding the City’s ongoing efforts to address homelessness within our community by the Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS). This report does not encompass the totality of the City’s efforts to address homelessness but rather provides a review of the key highlights from the preceding month and an update on major upcoming projects.
Report
Summary
The City of Phoenix is committed to working with the community, service providers and our regional partners to implement regional solutions to address homelessness and mitigate impacts to neighborhoods. The information below are highlights from OHS in the areas of shelter, outreach, procurement and success stories.
Safe Outdoor Space (SOS) Update
To address the need to relocate unsheltered individuals camping in the area surrounding the Key Campus (formerly the Human Services Campus) who were willing to accept an alternative placement solution other than indoor shelter, the City of Phoenix made available a safe, outdoor structured campground site. The site, operated in partnership with the Key Campus, Community Bridges, Inc. (CBI) and Saint Vincent de Paul (SVdP), offers 200 camp sites for up to 300 individuals, including on site services, such as heat/winter respite, case management, meals and behavioral health services.
Program Update
The SOS is operating under a limited capacity while construction is being completed. Between Nov. 1, 2023, and Feb. 23, 2024, the SOS has served a total of 237 individuals, of which, 104 are still staying at the site. There have been 133 individuals that have exited the SOS, of which 56 percent have had a positive exit which may include moving to an emergency shelter, reuniting with family, and one person obtaining their own apartment. The positive exits seen are a result of the collaboration and coordination between OHS, CBI, and the Key Campus partners working with each individual and leveraging each partner’s expertise and resources.
Hatcher Road Outreach and Engagement Efforts
In response to the Hatcher Road Community Safety Plan, neighborhood concerns, and the closing of the SVdP Chris Becker Resource Center, OHS implemented an outreach and engagement strategy to address the unsheltered homelessness in the area of Hatcher Road between 7th and 19th avenues. Walk-up services and meals at the Resource Center ended on Feb. 23, 2024.
Beginning on Dec. 4, 2023, OHS assigned a Homeless Liaison and caseworkers to conduct outreach in the specified area. The outreach is focused on individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, who were currently relying on the Resource Center to meet their basic needs, and those seeking to be connected to a sustainable solution, such as emergency shelter and substance abuse treatment. OHS partnered with the Police Department's Desert Horizon Precinct Community Action Officers and their bike squad to conduct periodic enforcement operations as needed. As of Feb 23, OHS has engaged 277 individuals with 252 of those individuals accepting a shelter placement, a 91 percent acceptance rate.
Key Campus (formerly the Human Services Campus) Encampment Efforts
OHS completed a total of 15 outreach and engagement efforts in the area surrounding the Key Campus between May 10 and Nov. 1, 2023, and closed streets to camping. Efforts included offering indoor shelter and services, assisting individuals with moving belongings as they were asked to relocate, and cleaning of streets by removing trash, waste, and other debris from each identified block. At the time the efforts began, nearly 700 individuals camped in the right of way in the area from 7th Avenue to 15th Avenue, Van Buren Street to Harrison Street, and it was by far the state’s largest encampment.
As a result of this effort, staff engaged over 700 people in the area, 590 of which accepted indoor shelter, treatment or alternative placement. Attachment A includes the number of individuals engaged and the number who accepted shelter on the day of each engagement effort. Attachment B depicts the percent distribution per shelter resulting from the efforts to date. Attachment C illustrates where the individuals who originally accepted indoor shelter, treatment or alternative placement during these efforts went as a of a particular point in time. Updated data as of Jan. 27, 2024, shows that 65 percent remain in an indoor environment, while 19 percent have left shelter and are again in an unsheltered situation. This is a slight difference compared to previous data as of Nov. 27, 2023, which showed 68 percent remained in an indoor environment, while 15 percent had left shelter and were again in an unsheltered situation.
Since Nov. 1, 2023, staff continue to enforce the court-ordered no-camping requirement in this area. In addition, proactive outreach and education continue to take place, and the area continues to be monitored and individuals encountered are engaged and offered shelter and the SOS as options.
Phoenix Community Court
The City of Phoenix’s Community Court provides long-term solutions and services for people experiencing homelessness as an alternative path to the traditional criminal justice system. The Community Court has held two dockets per week since the beginning of January.
The Phoenix Community Court has connected individuals experiencing homelessness who are accused of misdemeanor offenses the opportunity to connect with resources such as shelter, employment resources, and substance use and mental health resources. Participants are connected with a CBI Navigator who develops an individualized plan for each client, helping them get on the path to ending their homelessness. Participants who successfully complete their individualized plans will graduate from Community Court with their charges resolved or reduced. If an offender does not complete their plan, their case will return to regular court proceedings.
Office of Homeless Solutions Staff Outreach Success Stories
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons met a 64-year-old male at Civic Space Park who had been unsheltered for about a year following the loss of his apartment to a fire. He collects Social Security income and is hoping to start saving, especially because he now qualifies to receive more monthly benefits. Liaisons informed him of the SOS as an option and he quickly became interested, so Liaisons transported him and he is excited to be out of the park.
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons met a 40-year-old male at Civic Space Park who stated that he had been at the park for over a year. He said that he is diagnosed as severely mentally ill, struggles with opiates, and is currently on a methadone treatment. Liaisons informed him of the SOS and he became enthused to enter the program, so they transported him to and he is eager to start saving his monthly disability income.
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons were contacted by Parks and Recreation Department staff about an unsheltered couple who were looking for services at Cesar Chavez Park. The couple had become homeless after leaving a sober living program that was shut down. The gentleman struggled with alcohol dependence and is currently on probation and the woman is seemingly battling substance abuse. They had been staying at the park for one week and looking for a shelter to enter with their dog and cat. Homeless Liaisons coordinated with CBI to transport the couple to Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS). The gentleman will be reporting to his probation officer that he is entering shelter and beginning to search for work, and the woman will be addressing her mental health and substance use.
Success Story
A Homeless Liaison received a call from a mother of four who stated she needed immediate shelter as she was getting evicted from a hotel room they had been residing in for multiple weeks after her fiancé was incarcerated. She was unable to afford the hotel room and received a business card of the Liaison from a relative. The Liaison was able to get her placed the same day with United Methodist Outreach Ministries New Day Centers. She reported that her and the children are doing well, and she is now pursuing employment and school opportunities.
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons met a 55-year-old male at Civic Space Park who had been living with a friend in an Extended Suites for a couple months. His friend had been involved in verbal altercations with other residents and staff at the property and was told to leave as a result, so he decided to leave too. He and his friend ended up on the streets for several weeks. When Liaisons engaged him, he stated that he wanted shelter, however his friend was unsure about shelter and tried to convince the individual not to get services. Liaisons encouraged him to try shelter because he had a positive work history and could potentially quickly get a long-term residence again. The individual stated that he and his friend had been together for 12 years, so it was a difficult decision to part ways. Liaisons secured a bed for him at A New Leaf and transported him to the program.
Upcoming Shelter Projects
Attachment D represents a summary of new shelter beds created with City of Phoenix investments including the 1,074 indoor shelter beds created in 2022 and 2023 to date, and the additional 790 indoor shelter beds and 125 affordable housing units that are in process and expected to be completed during 2024-25. A total of 1,864 new beds are expected be created during the 2022-25 timeframe, along with 125 affordable housing units.
Existing Shelter Project Outcomes
Phoenix invested in four major projects in 2022 to create and provide 592 new indoor shelter beds, and seven projects to date in 2023 to provide 482 new shelter beds as summarized in Attachment D. The attached table (Attachment E) represents the bed utilization at the shelters including:
- Number of unduplicated clients served at the Washington Relief Center;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at Respiro;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at Rio Fresco;
- Number of unduplicated clients served through the I-HELP Program;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at SVdP temporary lodging;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at Mercy House temporary lodging;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at A New Leaf temporary lodging;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at CASS temporary lodging;
- Number of unduplicated clients served at CBI temporary lodging; and
- Average monthly usage at the CASS Single Adult Shelter.
Success Story
A 19-year-old client learned things she did not know before coming to A New Leaf (ANL), which include the application process for an apartment and turning on her internet service. She was very nervous when she entered the program and expressed the fear of doing “all of this on her own” and “living on her own”. The apartment search was quick as she was provided with a lead. She went to view the unit, liked it and completed the application. The complex had worked with the ANL program, and the application process was facilitated smoothly. She lived at the YMCA shelter for three months and was approaching her exit date and moved into her new apartment at the end of her time limit there. She has not yet been referred to any other programs within ANL but will benefit from some counseling due to past trauma experienced. Her accomplishment of these goals has improved confidence for meeting further goals which were discussed regarding employment and housing stability.
Success Story
A 61-year-old client is among the first cohort of clients to stay at the temporary Haven, the interim location for CASS' temporary housing facility for seniors. Despite living with multiple challenging conditions, including vision impairment and physical disability, he strives to maintain his independence and consistently overachieves. A transportation service scheduled to take him to an appointment failed to show up, so he took it upon himself to make the commute by bus. He is particularly diligent about keeping his appointments for the SOAR (SSDI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) program, which helps individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness access Social Security disability benefits. He also makes it a priority to keep his CASS case manager updated on any actions he is taking towards achieving his case goals, which included adding counseling and group support to his schedule. It is through the temporary Haven that he can make these strides to secure housing. With his persistence, it’s very likely he’ll achieve his goals soon.
Success Story
A female client entered the United Methodist Outreach Ministries Halle shelter and began following a case plan with her case manager. She was able to save some money by learning the importance of budgeting. She had housing but frequently called out of work, so she lost her job and the apartment she wanted. She learned to follow rules at work and in life. She is working full-time and understands that going to work daily is a necessity to survive. She started over, saved money, provided paystubs, and reapplied for an apartment. She was able to successfully regain housing and is maintaining consistency in employment. For the first time in her life, she has her own place.
Success Story
A client and her family faced numerous challenges upon arriving in Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), including financial strain and domestic violence. With the assistance of CPLC staff, her situation began to improve. Initially seeking refuge at a hotel, she and her family were supported with crucial services such as school enrollment for her child, obtaining a protective order, and connecting with resources for victims of domestic violence. Despite facing setbacks and uncertainties, such as being removed from a waitlist at a family shelter and navigating emotional trauma, she persevered. Through ongoing support and guidance from case managers, she secured stable housing and exited the program, providing a safe and stable environment for her children and mother. Despite the difficulties, her journey illustrates the transformative impact of dedicated support services in helping vulnerable individuals overcome adversity and achieve stability.
Success Story
A 74-year-old client was showing signs of onset of dementia. A CBI navigator was contacted by a case worker at Honor Health Hospital stating that the client was being discharged and needed shelter or somewhere to go other than the street. The navigator advocated for the client placement at Washington Relief Center due to her advanced age and progressing medical issues. She was able to secure a bed and transported the client to the shelter. The client was thankful for all that CBI had done to secure a bed for her.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Office of Homeless Solutions.