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 in November 2023. 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
Between November 1, 2023, and December 17, 2024, the SOS has served a total of 1,337 individuals, of which 251 are still staying at the site. There have been 1,086 individuals that have exited the SOS, of which 30 percent have had a positive exit which may include moving to an emergency shelter, reuniting with family, and 29 people 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.
Additionally, OHS has partnered with ARIZONA@WORK, 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. To date, 124 referrals have been made and 29 individuals have obtained employment. Many supplemental services have also been offered on-site to guests such as Valley Dogs Rescue, who provides preventive care and vaccinations for pets, and Street Medicine Phoenix, who provide basic medical and first aid.
Community Court
Community Court has served 274 participants this year from January through November. Of these, 32 participants have graduated from the program with achievements including: obtaining vital documents, entering shelter, addressing their physical and mental health, and gaining employment. The collaboration of the Prosecutor’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, and OHS, along with CBI, continues to create individualized plans to assist individuals in addressing their homelessness and help participants achieve their goals.
Community Court Success Story
A 39-year-old client, who had been homeless since 2019 and was living in an RV, was initially outreached by CBI and placed in the Rio Fresco shelter in 2022. In December 2023, the client was introduced to Phoenix Community Court, where she was connected to medical support through the CBI clinic and the medical team due to her seizure condition, which prevents her from working. While in community court, the client received a HOM Inc. voucher and, with the help of her case manager, successfully searched for an apartment that met her needs. Phoenix Community Court also provided financial assistance for move-in costs. The client is now housed with her two dogs and expresses gratitude to the case manager and the Phoenix Community Court team for their support.
Office of Homeless Solutions Staff Outreach Success Stories
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons, along with Park Rangers, engaged a family of four, which included two children, 16 months and seven years old. The seven-year-old attends school in the area. The parents and younger child were outreached in a park and expressed being open to shelter. The mother requested assistance to obtain an Arizona ID. Liaisons assisted her with transportation to obtain her Arizona ID and also placed her on the family housing hub list for shelter through 2-11. The parents report being homeless for the last few months due to eviction from an apartment and had been sleeping from couch to couch, in parked cars and now in the parks during the day. They stated that they would stay as late as possible at the library or laundromat. They also reported that there has been no drugs or alcohol abuse in the past or present. The family is now in a hotel through the Maricopa County hotel program, with plans of either diversion with family or obtaining shelter through the family housing hub. The father had been submitting applications and has accepted a job with Amazon and is doing the on-boarding.
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons met a 53-year-old male beneath a highway overpass who reported being on the street for five years. He was very fatigued and stated he needed help. Liaisons gave him information about the SOS, and he decided to accept placement immediately. Liaisons helped transport him and his belongings to the program.
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons, along with Park Rangers, engaged a family of six, including four children ranging in age from four months to five years old, at a park. The parents reported having a place but stated they were evicted due to discrimination. They had always been able to pay rent and maintain employment, but were told to leave their apartment immediately and ended up losing everything. The father works for a temporary service and the mother had recently lost her employment. Both parents are willing to do whatever it takes to end their homelessness and accepted shelter placement.
Success Story
Homeless Liaisons were able to place a couple who had been unsheltered for two and a half years due to incarceration into the Safe Outdoor Space. The female individual is six months pregnant and is excited to make her regularly scheduled doctor appointments for a healthy baby. The male individual is looking forward to joining the workforce and providing for his family.
Shelter Projects
Attachment A represents a summary of new shelter beds created with City of Phoenix investments, including the 592 indoor shelter beds created in 2022 and 482 temporary shelter beds in 2023, and the additional 380 indoor shelter beds in 2024 and 370 additional beds that are in process and expected to be completed during 2025. All but 60 of the temporary shelter beds created in 2023 have closed.
Existing Shelter Project Outcomes
Phoenix invested in four major projects in 2022 to create and provide 592 new indoor shelter beds and seven projects in 2023 to provide 482 new temporary shelter beds, and three projects in 2024 to provide 380 indoor shelter beds as summarized in Attachment A. Attachment B 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 at Phoenix Navigation Center.
- Number of unduplicated clients served at North Mountain Healing Center.
- Average monthly usage at the Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Single Adult Shelter.
Below are success stories submitted in the last month by funded partners.
Success Story
An unhoused youth arrived at the SOS and informed staff that he was working with a Navy recruiter. The program provided support by offering a meeting space as he completed the final steps before his deployment. A month later, the young man was picked up directly from the SOS by his recruiter and left to begin basic training, marking the start of his new life serving in the United States Navy.
Success Story
A female client with several health issues, including having to use a defibrillator, was evicted after not being able to pay rent for her apartment. Due to the eviction, she and her children spent two months living in their car. Upon entering United Methodist Outreach Ministries (UMOM) family shelter, she decided to enroll in the Homegrown Program. After graduating, she was offered a position as a part-time Culinary Enterprises Intern at UMOM New Day Centers. She was able to save money for housing. She obtained another part-time job to cover expenses. She qualified for a housing program and moved into a three-bedroom apartment with her family.
Success Story
CBI Phoenix Outreach staff first engaged with a couple in Sunnyslope in January 2024, who had become homeless in 2023 after struggling to afford an apartment that was not in their name. They began living out of their car with their puppy. Both clients were active members of their community church and sought temporary assistance. One client faced significant health issues at a young age, but neither had a history of substance use. CBI helped advocate for shelter placement at the Native American Connections Lodge and worked on a housing plan. Over the following months, the team helped the couple obtain necessary documents, including IDs, Social Security cards, birth certificates, and ESA paperwork for their animal. The clients accessed counseling, medical care, and one began the process to apply for Social Security Insurance. They also qualified for Rapid Rehousing. The other client continued to work and save money for future housing. Despite challenges, such as concerns over affordability and background barriers when looking for apartments, the team remained supportive. In October, the couple successfully moved into their own apartment, where they could afford the rent and other obligations. CBI assisted with relocating their storage unit, and the clients expressed gratitude for the team's dedicated coordination and support throughout the process.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Office of Homeless Solutions.