The city of Phoenix is moving toward acquiring property that could house more people experiencing homelessness in downtown areas. A measure to approve the purchase of property to house the homeless population was approved at a city council meeting.
Ordinance S-49325, or “Request to Acquire Real Property in Assisting the Unsheltered Population Citywide,” allows for the city to search for potential properties that will eventually become the building that will provide housing for the homeless population. The ordinance was approved on Jan. 23.
“Looking forward to supporting this item, the city is trying so many different solutions to make sure we move forward on fighting homelessness,” Mayor Kate Gallego said during the meeting.
Phoenix is one of the cities that is trying to implement a system that will be able to take care of the needs of people experiencing homelessness as well as provide resources for them.
The ordinance was approved 8 to 1, allowing city officials to look into buying property that will be used to shelter unhoused people. The council set a limit “not to exceed a total of $15 million,” for basic housing for individuals that would consist of kitchens, bathrooms, and a bedroom.
While the measure was met with support, Councilmember Jim Waring voiced concerns about where the proposed housing will be built.
“It hasn’t been decided where or what we are building, correct?” he said.
Councilmember Ann O’Brien shared similar concerns.
“At what point would city council be engaged?” he asked. “There could be a use of resources with not the proper outcome.”
Rachel Milne, director of the Office of Homeless Solutions, told Councilmember O’Brien that the office will not move forward without community and district input.
Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari voiced enthusiasm for the plan.
“I just wanted to say how supportive I am of this item,” she said. “With our ‘strategies to address homelessness’ plan, we have been laser-focused on getting people off the streets.”
Ansari is a part of a homeless strategy plan in her own district. She said she’s happy to see the plan moving forward knowing how hard it can be “for appraisals to take and finding property.”
The council action builds on a plan approved by the Council in 2020, that pledged the city would develop not only housing for those without it, but also other services such as mental health services. With this most recent request being approved, the Office of Homeless Solutions can now find the property that they wish to acquire to get started on their plan.
Contact the reporter at anhillia@asu.edu
