Phoenix homelessness is rising, but new shelters provide some relief
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The results of January's point-in-time count are in, and the number of people experiencing homelessness is up year-over-year.
State of play: The communities in Maricopa County annually attempt to find and count all the people living in shelters or on the street.
- The count, though only a snapshot, can provide helpful insights into how and why people are experiencing homelessness.
What they found: Volunteers counted 9,642 unhoused people, a 7% jump from the 2022 tally.
- The number of people experiencing homelessness in the East Valley and West Valley decreased slightly, while the total in Phoenix increased.
1 silver lining: The number of people living outside decreased by 2%, while those staying in shelters increased by 18%, a likely byproduct of hundreds of new shelter beds added over the past year, Maricopa Association of Governments regional homelessness program manager Katie Gentry tells us.
Why it matters: Unhoused people who aren't staying in shelters have poorer health and premature mortality, per a 2016 study by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.
- Neighborhoods with high levels of street homelessness report increased crime and blight.
What's next: Gentry says she hopes the count results encourage Valley leaders to continue investing in shelter options.
- Metro Phoenix still needs thousands of beds to accommodate all who are currently living on the street.
Parting shot: For the first time, volunteers this year asked people whether their homelessness was caused by a rent increase. Almost 450 people responded with "yes."
- "To me, it was just reaffirming that we're seeing so much of homelessness be an economic condition," Gentry says.