PHOENIX — Tents, trash, and hundreds of people experiencing homelessness.
The area in downtown Phoenix known as “The Zone” is a large homeless encampment.
“As you have covered, we have a real challenge here,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.
We sat down with the mayor weeks after a Maricopa County Judge ordered the City of Phoenix to clean up the area before July 10th.
“One of the lessons I have learned is that each individual has a unique story,” according to Gallego.
The judge deemed “The Zone” an “illegal public nuisance” after business owners and residents filed a lawsuit against the city.
“It was not news to us that things need to change in the area around the human service campus,” said the mayor. “We had been working for solutions before the judge made the ruling.”
However, this fight started in January 2020 when the future plaintiffs approached the city about the escalating homeless problems.
“We have been listening and bringing solutions online. To cite a homeless shelter is a complicated process,” said Gallego.
But two years later, those same concerned citizens testified they took their proposed solutions to the city council but still did not get a response.
Court records also show, at the same time crime rates surged with drug sales and use, prostitution, property crime, and violence in that area.
“So there was hearsay testimony in the trial that on the record testimony from Phoenix police officer was very clear. Residents of our community who are unsheltered are residents. You will have to comply by the same law as everyone else," according to Gallego.
Mayor Gallego says there’s no simple solution to moving upwards of one thousand people but hopes adding housing for the homeless will help.
“We have been working with Governor Hobbs and we've identified at least two potential locations for a new facility for structured camping, which we're moving forward with. We are also in process right now of creating a sprung structure, which is a semi-permanent tent structure that has some of the benefits of both indoor and outdoor spaces,” said Gallego.
Meanwhile, a plan has now been identified to clean up “The Zone” starting May 10th.
