More public areas will be off limits for unhoused people to sleep in Phoenix when an expanded camping ban takes effect Sept. 1.
The expanded ordinance bans people from sleeping, cooking and camping within 500 feet of schools, day care centers, shelters and Phoenix parks. That’s in addition to bans in city-owned parks, buildings and parking lots.
Council members said the expansion is meant to keep encampments away from children and avoid another situation like "The Zone a multi-block homeless encampment Phoenix had to clear after a judge declared it a public nuisance.
The city said it will take a phased approach with the expanded ban, focusing first on education and continuing to offer services to people in need. Violators would face a misdemeanor with a fine not to exceed $100.
Phoenix’s Office of Homeless Solutions provided the following statement:
“The city is urgently focused on connecting individuals in need with appropriate services such as shelter to help end their homelessness. The city of Phoenix has prioritized creating more indoor shelter than ever before in the last several years. The city added 1,074 new beds in 2022 and 2023, and 200 new beds so far in 2024. 590 additional new indoor shelter beds are planned to open later this year and in 2025. The city will continue working diligently to create sustainable solutions for our community as a whole.
The changes passed are clear on specific situations where camping would not be allowed: within 500 feet of a school, daycare center, shelter, college/university or city-owned park provided a reasonable notice of the camping prohibition is posted. While the changes go into effect on September 1, the city will take a phased approach to implementation, focusing first on educating the public on the changes. The City will continue to lead with education and services. The City issues citations, when necessary, based on a violation of the law, and prosecutors evaluate all cases based on available evidence, facts and whether elements of the crime are present.”
