Lawsuits and the U.S. Justice Department have forced Phoenix to re-evaluate how to confront the issue of homelessness.
On Wednesday, officials plan to celebrate the grand opening of an expanded shelter facility.
Phoenix created an office about two years ago to work on solutions for homelessness. An accomplishment city officials tout is adding more shelter space.
Mayor Kate Gallego and other city leaders are scheduled to mark the addition of nearly 100 shelter beds at the headquarters of UMOM New Day Centers.
City officials say Phoenix financed the transformation of office space there into rooms for families with nowhere else to live.
The Justice Department said in June that Phoenix is the first city where investigators have found abuses of the civil and constitutional rights of homeless people.
-
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has approved $7.5 million to the City of Phoenix Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) to provide emergency shelter, temporary transitional housing and permanent supportive housing to individuals experiencing homelessness. -
Coconino County will use a nearly half-million dollar grant to make housing more stable for area residents. -
The Mesa City Council voted unanimously to ban urban camping on public property. -
A coalition of public, private and faith-based groups called the Healthy Giving Council hopes to encourage more healthy giving. -
By next week, families on the United Methodist Outreach Ministry’s waiting list will begin moving into the 20 newly opened rooms at their shelter on Van Buren Street in Phoenix.
