KJZZ listener Jackie Young asked how East Valley cities like Scottsdale, Gilbert and Chandler are helping decrease the number of unhoused people.
“What I found out from being out here is, no matter what, I’m pretty resilient. I never quit. We don’t just give up. We get up every day and we try to do everything we can to survive."
That’s Bryan Kreskow, a community navigator for Chandler’s street outreach team, talking to someone experiencing homelessness.
South of the city center, makeshift homes lie along the train tracks.
Next to those tracks is an encampment filled with tents. They spread across a small forest owned by a lumber company. Kreskow says that’s just one part he monitors.
“I’m pretty sure that this lumber company has probably known for a while, because this encampment has been set up for years. You can tell," Kreskow said.
Drainage tunnels that run under Chandler are used as shelter, too.
“I show up, and I offer my experience, strength and hope with people. Especially people that are suffering from addiction issues or mental health challenges, because I suffer from those as well," he said.
Kreskow is a five-time convicted felon, recovered heroin addict and has fought through homelessness firsthand. Those doing street outreach for the city are only hired if they have some form of lived experience.
“Get a person to realize that your life’s not over. These things that’ve happened to you are not going to be forever. That’s the best way I feel to solve this problem," Kreskow said.
Kreskow’s work is part of Chandler's community resources division that uses a budget of more than $1 million to address homelessness.
Farther east, the town of Gilbert’s community resources department is in charge of services for unhoused people. The agency has more than $2 million worth of funding.
Helping residents maintain the quality of their home has taken priority given rising costs in the Valley.
Right now, a family must earn over $62,000 annually to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Arizona, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Melanie Dykstra oversees Gilbert's emergency minor home repair program. From electrical system’s to plumbing, the program financially supports residents so they can make quick repairs to keep them safely housed.
“And as we know, in this time of year, when the heat is (high), it really can be a critical impact for people in order to respond and be able to help them quickly," Dykstra said.
The repair program has helped residents where they can.
“That’s really been a critical program for us and has throughout this fiscal year served 77 different independent homeowners with different types of repairs," she said.
To the north in Scottsdale, seniors and families facing eviction and homelessness receive a large amount of the city's community resources.
Kira Peters is the human services director. She said that Scottsdale's bridge housing program and day relief center have been among the most impactful.
“People experiencing homelessness can have some respite during the day where they can be in a cool place, get something to eat, and hopefully get connected to resources to help them get to stable housing," Peters said.
The city rents out 10 hotel rooms to individuals who qualify, such as those over age 62 and single parents with minor children facing eviction. There were over 83,000 eviction filings across Maricopa County in 2023.
“It’s a sensitive topic and people have a lot of different opinions on people experiencing homelessness. It’s really important how the city partners with other organizations," she said.
Scottsdale uses $1.1 million in grant funding to support their partnerships with services that help unhoused people.
Local, state and federal grants all play a critical role in funding each community’s homeless services.
At the beginning of this year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced they would disperse over $3.1 billion nationally to support efforts trying to decrease homelessness, and $65 million of that funding will flow into Arizona.
Back in Chandler, Kreskow drives around the city searching for those in need of those services.
From sun up until sun down, Wednesday through Saturday, Kreskow looks at the human being first, and the homelessness second.
“If you can look past the judgment, they’re people - somebody’s mother, son, brother, sister. Most of the time, it’s me handing out a card like I did to Matt there and hoping I run into him again and letting him know that I’m here for him," Kreskow said.
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Many older adults are struggling to pay their rent or buy food. It’s why the Tempe Community Action Agency operates a food pantry as well as a Meals on Wheels program. -
The Valley’s major homeless services organization is extending its Thirst Aid water donation events for an extra month. -
Being unhoused in any kind of weather isn’t easy, but 100 degree temperatures make it deadly for people experiencing homelessness in Arizona. -
Last year, ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division partnered with the Homeless ID Project to establish a virtual ‘tele-MVD’ office near downtown Phoenix. -
Local nonprofit Thunderbirds Charities recently awarded a $125,000 grant to a local program that helps people experiencing homelessness find employment and independence.
