Phoenix is on the verge of tightening restrictions on where its homeless population can set up camp, following a subcommittee's approval of an ordinance amendment Wednesday, according to 12News. The proposal, which aims to prohibit camping within 500 feet of schools, shelters, and childcare facilities, is drawing backlash from critics who argue it merely displaces the issue rather than addressing the root causes of homelessness.
Councilmember Jim Waring voiced his support, stating resources need allocation but also mentioned, "But we also need people to be incentivized to help themselves."
Nonetheless, his peer Councilmember Betty Guardado objected, arguing that such measures simply move the problem without delivering a sustainable solution, the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee pushed the amendment forward in a 3-1 vote, a detailed report by ABC15 added the full nine-member council will next discuss and vote on the matter, though a date has not been announced.
Councilmembers and city officials, however, point to San Diego's similar ordinance as a model, which they claim has seen positive outcomes, Ann O'Brien, Subcommittee chair, insisted that Phoenix's approach would be undergirded by services, education and information prior to any enforcement – in a statement obtained by ABC15 she elaborated, "We don't just start with enforcement. We always lead with services, education and information." San Diego's policy enforces through an initial warning, followed by citations and, if warranted, arrests for repeat offenders, as reported by city officials there.
But opponents view these measures as punitive and counterproductive, Elizabeth Venable, an advocate with Fund For Empowerment called out the proposal during public comment, citing that tactics like these ultimately shuffle the homeless around without offering real help. Jared Keenan, legal director for the ACLU of Arizona, tempered the discussion with a legal perspective, explaining to 12News, "So even if this ordinance were to pass, and go into effect, it is possible that any kind of enforcement of it would violate this injunction that’s in place in our federal litigation," referencing ongoing legal battles against the city's treatment of the unsheltered.
