Title
Office of Homeless Solutions - Safe Outdoor Space - Citywide
Description
This report provides an update on the Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) Safe Outdoor Space (SOS).
Report
Summary
The City of Phoenix made a safe, outdoor structured campground site available in November 2023. The SOS was established to provide an alternative placement solution other than indoor shelter for those camping in the area surrounding the Key Campus (formerly the Human Services Campus). The site is operated in partnership with Keys to Change, and Community Bridges, Inc. (CBI), offering 200 camp sites for up to 300 individuals. The SOS also includes on-site services such as heat/winter respite, case management, meals and behavioral health services.
Between November 1, 2023, and May 31, 2026, the SOS has served a total of 2,654 individuals, of which 246 are staying at the site. Of those that have exited the site, 756 or 32 percent, are considered positive, and have moved to an indoor location including shelter, housing or reuniting with family. The positive exits are a result of collaboration and coordination between OHS, CBI and Keys to Change. These partners work with each individual, leveraging expertise and resources.
Additionally, OHS has partnered with ARIZONA@WORK, St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP), and St. Joseph the Worker to provide workforce development services. These workforce providers meet with individuals seeking employment opportunities and provide assistance with resume building, job readiness, clothing and referrals to employers with vacant positions. Many supplemental services have also been offered on-site to guests. Supplemental resources include Valley Dogs Rescue, who provides preventive care and vaccinations for pets, Circle the City and Street Medicine Phoenix, who provides basic medical and first aid.
SOS clients receive three meals per day via a catering contract with SVdP. SVdP also provides meal service to the Washington Shelter, Phoenix Navigation Center, North Mountain Healing Center and the Haven. Clients at the SOS are provided with the same meals as clients at the other indoor shelters. Each meal is required to have a vegetable, protein and carbohydrate. SVdP has a standard portion size that is utilized for all meals.
Drinking water is always available at the SOS. The SOS has a bottle-filling station for client use and refillable water bottles are provided. The primary source of water for SOS residents is the bottle-filling station. In addition, Keys to Change provides bottled water which will be available throughout the summer at the walk-up entrance to the site so that people can access water as they enter.
OHS has purchased additional Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliant shower and restroom units to provide additional resources. The project has started and is anticipated to take approximately three weeks to complete. Once completed, participants will have restroom locations closer to sites. Additional capacity of restrooms and showers for standard and ADA units and improvements are also being made to the potable water and sewer lines.
The City intends to continue utilizing the space as ‘Safe Outdoor Space,’ a location where individuals could safely sleep outside in designated camping areas while receiving case management and housing support services in order to help them obtain emergency shelter or other housing assistance. The stipulations assigned to this site included a special permit, which became effective October 2023. Per the stipulations, the special permit will be removed three years after the effective date of the ordinance, expiring October 2026.
To continue the aforementioned operations, modification to the current stipulations is necessary. The City plans to request an extension for an additional four years. A public neighborhood meeting was scheduled in April and hearings before the Central City Village Planning Committee and the Planning Commission are planned to review this case in June and August, before the City Council Hearing in early September 2026.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Office of Homeless Solutions.