As Maricopa County is gripped by subzero temperatures, the homeless population is facing a crisis, with evictions soaring to near record highs. Last month alone, over 7,000 evictions threw numerous residents into the biting cold without shelter, a dire state of affairs that local non-profits are struggling to manage.
Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), the front-runner in providing refuge, is stretching its resources to accommodate the influx of people in need. According to a report by AZFamily, not everyone can be sheltered, with the 600-bed facility often housing up to 650 individuals, forcing some to sleep on the floor. Attempting to tackle this surge, CASS is noted for its low-barrier entry, which eschews sobriety or income prerequisites for those seeking sanctuary.
Lisa Glow, the director of CASS, in an interview with AZFamily, illuminated the bleak situation: "We definitely here at CASS have been seeing more and more people come into our 600-bed adult shelter," said Glow. "And on many nights, we have been over capacity at 650. A lot of people are staying on mats on the floor when we go over capacity."
Shattering the silence with its severity, 2023 witnessed over 83,000 evictions in Maricopa County, a figure disturbingly close to the 2005 all-time high, as reported by AZFamily. Though not every eviction notice culminates in displacement, the repercussions cascade, leaving many in the cold, literally, as they scramble amidst potentially lethal weather conditions.
With the eviction cycle showing no signs of slowing, the future of Maricopa's most vulnerable hangs in balance. Facilities like CASS are bracing for a continuous or even escalated demand, a stark reminder of the unrelenting grip of poverty and housing instability in our midst.
