The City of Phoenix last Wednesday approved just over $1 million to Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), which operates the city’s largest homeless shelter.
Phoenix made the payment using leftover federal funds originally earmarked for COVID-19 recovery, but CASS warned the organization still has a shortfall of around $500,000 that could threaten its ability to provide shelter services, explaining that it filed three state grant requests that were denied by Arizona.
CASS received the funding after the organization indicated it may discontinue 24-hour services unless it could bridge a $1.5 million funding gap, which prompted media to speculate whether Phoenix could see a return of “The Zone,” an open-air homeless camp that became the largest in the state before legal action against the city compelled officials to clear it.
The group told Arizona’s Family it increased its shelter beds to 600 in 2022, but the outlet reported the shortfall meant “they are considering cutting back 24 hour services,” which would require those living in the shelter to return to the streets for a number of hours each day.
Prior to the vote by Phoenix City Council to provide the money to CASS, concern about the city’s homeless returning the the streets was cited by a local business owner who spoke to The Arizona Republic, warning that conditions could easily deteriorate, leaving the area home to a second incarnation of “The Zone,” which officials say was occupied by around 1,000 people at its peak.
A number of business owners in the area sued Phoenix over the camp in 2022, and in March of last year obtained a ruling by Maricopa County Judge Scott Blaney ordering the city to clear the camp. Despite a number of delays, the homeless camp was completely cleared by November.
