Phoenix homelessness surges after “Zone” closure

A new AZ Central investigation reveals homelessness in Phoenix has intensified since “The Zone” encampment was cleared, with the unsheltered population rising nearly 40% in the last year.

As people experiencing homelessness relocate throughout the city, often farther from services, shrinking pandemic-era funding and potential federal shifts threaten available housing and shelter options. Public frustration has mounted, prompting tougher local enforcement measures.

Reporters Helen Rummel and Catherine Reagor join “Arizona Horizon” to break down their findings and what they mean for housing and policy decisions in the Valley.

“We had started this project a while ago, it had been several months,” Rummel said, “…how has homelessness progressed in Phoenix and the surrounding suburbs since the zone was cleared out two years ago.”

Rummel emphasized how homelessness can take many forms, such as people living in the street, living in their cars, and living outside suburban houses.

“The apathy about the problem, it just shocks me, it breaks my heart,” Reagor said, “…and housing experts…they feel it.”

Rummel explained that some potential reasons for the rise in homelessness could be the cost of living increasing or rent prices increasing.

“We also saw over this past year in Maricopa county, more than a thousand shelter beds were lost over this past year due to the loss of COVID funding that we saw,” Rummel said, “…those things combined with all of these other factors that contribute to homelessness.”

Reagor, who covers housing, noticed a huge drop in home prices in a neighborhood in central Phoenix. After speaking with some of the neighbors, she found that this is a result of “The Zone” spreading out.

“Those neighborhoods are now…they’re sympathetic, they want to help, but there is also safety issues,” Reagor said, “…when it’s cold, and they’re building fires…the fact that it’s impacting home values.”