Title
Consideration of Citizen Petition Related to Homelessness and Personal Property
Description
This report provides the City Council with information in response to a citizen petition submitted by Ms. Elizabeth Venable at the April 3, 2019 Formal City Council meeting regarding requesting the City not seize or destroy property of individuals experiencing homelessness, clarify urban camping laws, and not enforce trespassing laws for legal sleeping and camping (Attachment A).
Report
Summary
The petitioner requests the City not seize or destroy property of individuals experiencing homelessness, clarify urban camping laws, and not enforce trespassing laws for legal sleeping and camping. The City responded to a similar request by Ms. Venable at the April 3, 2019, City Council Formal meeting.
In the current petition, Ms. Venable states that “Even under Phoenix CARES, you are only offering mental health and substance abuse treatment." Services offered to individuals experiencing homelessness include but are not limited to: low barrier shelters, transportation to reconnect with family out of state, inpatient/outpatient substance abuse treatment, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, connection to benefits (Medicare, social security, etc.), assistance with and transportation to obtain state identification, and workforce development.
The current petition also requests "officers to desist from seizing and destroying the property of homeless individuals." If individuals are contacted by Phoenix Police, and subsequently arrested, and have property in their possession, the property will be impounded as either prisoner property or impounded as evidence. Individuals are given an opportunity to have someone take control of their property if they choose, such as a friend, family member or anyone else they decide. Police also will ask if they want to take everything or discard it. Whatever is left behind will be removed by either the Street Transportation or Public Works departments, which is their standard procedure.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr., Assistant City Manager Deanna Jonovich, and the Human Services, Police, and Law departments.