Despite concerns regarding COVID-19’s effects on vulnerable populations, the city of Phoenix and community advocacy groups have not yet seen an increase in homelessness. Experts warn that the city isn’t out of the woods yet.
Starting in mid-July, Wildfire, a community advocacy group geared toward preventing poverty, partnered with the city of Phoenix to distribute over $20 million of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) funds to 16 community partners throughout the city to distribute them. Of those groups, nine serve residential populations and the other six are allocated for refugees and those seeking asylum.
Although there has not been a calculable increase in the number of people living without homes, the amount of people on the threshold of homelessness has gone up. Victor Contreras is the director of workforce solutions at Chicanos Por La Causa, one of the subgroups that received CARES funds from Wildfire. He expressed his concern about the possibility of homelessness exploding after the federal eviction moratorium expires on Dec. 31, 2021.
“That date is going to be the tsunami – the cliff – I don’t know what else to call it. That is what keeps me up at night … it’s not just about losing your house or being evicted from your apartment, it’s about the impact that has on families, on kids, on education, on the gaps in education, access to internet and computers. All those things that come with the stability of a home, or house, will kind of start deteriorating.”
Of the $20 million in CARES money, each residential group received $2 million to put toward those in need of assistance for rent and utilities. To receive CARES funds from one of the contracted subgroups, the applicant must meet certain criteria.
“These are people who are highly vulnerable to evictions due to financial strain because of COVID,” said Kelly McGowan, the deputy director of Wildfire. “I can tell you that our subcontractors are massively inundated with calls – people who are frantic to get assistance and not get evicted.”
Dr. Janet Felton, vice-chair of Tanner Community Development Corporation (a recipient CARES funds from Wildfire) said applicants must be a resident of Phoenix who was furloughed, laid off or had wages reduced after March 1. Applicants must also provide a Phoenix driver’s license and a lease agreement or mortgage statement with the same address as they provided at intake.
Rev. Dr. Benjamin Thomas Sr., chairman and interim director of Tanner Community Development Corporation, explained that those who are determined eligible can receive a one-time sum of up to $4,200. The money is credited to individuals’ accounts. Specific sums are allocated for rental assistance, water, electricity and gas. Families may receive up to $3,300 for rental or mortgage assistance, $300 for water, $300 for electric and $300 for gas.
“Getting funds into the hands of those who are in significant need and eligible is critical,” Thomas said.
The distribution of CARES funds is broad. Dr. Felton said that Tanner Community Development Corporation alone has helped 205 households since mid-July.
“In terms of the applicants we have accepted, we have expended $118,000 helping individuals with their mortgages. We have put $557,000 in rent to have individuals stay in their apartments, or maybe they’re renting a house and they’re landlords. And we have provided $24,900 for water assistance and $111,600 for utility assistance” she explained.
Contreras, from Chicanos Por La Causa, praises the city’s approach to tackling homelessness in the face of a pandemic.
“I think it’s actually been excellent when you look at the efforts that they put, not just on homelessness, but homelessness prevention, which is what we’re trying to focus on,” Contreras said.
Homelessness prevention is very key to aiding the issue of homelessness as a whole.
“We know that it’s easier to prevent homelessness rather than to have the individual out on the street with nowhere to go,” Felton said. “So keeping families together to help prevent and prepare for and respond to the many challenges facing our communities as a result of COVID is, of course, vital.”
The efforts of the city and its partners to curb homelessness have been far-reaching, but that effort comes with its own set of challenges.
“The biggest challenge has been one of capacity. We have hundreds, thousands, of calls, and there’s only so many people to do those things,” Contreras said.
To face the challenges of giving services during the pandemic, the city and its partners are using “innovation” and “teamwork,” Public Information Officer for Human Services Tamra Ingersoll said.
“Homelessness is not a city of Phoenix issue. It’s a humanity issue, it’s a county issue. It’s a state issue. Watching people come together in the face of a pandemic to come up with innovative, fast and sustainable solutions – short and long-term – has been very rewarding to watch.”
There are still $6 million in unallocated funds that the city must use before Dec. 31. Phoenix City Council will continue to meet as needed to determine how the rest of the CARES funds will be used, Ingersoll said.
Contact the reporter at rjohn118@asu.edu.
