Reflections from the front lines serving people experiencing homelessness, during Phoenix winter, ruminating on this date four years ago, processing recent government challenges, and looking back at my commitment in January.

 

I’ll start with the stats:

This morning the Keys to Change outreach team counted 113 unsheltered people in the neighborhood immediately surrounding Key Campus and 403 unsheltered people in an expanded 5-ish mile radius around the Campus. That’s 516 unsheltered people.

The four shelter spaces on the Campus continue to remain full at a total of approximately 900 people nightly. Spaces are full. Two of these spaces are “overflow” shelter that have been operating for five years, since the onset of the pandemic. Funding is running out from our governmental partners, and these two spaces that shelter nearly 280 people per night are phasing down. By June 1 they will be closed.

The rate of people entering homelessness is 19 households for every 10 that exit to housing. More people lose their housing and fall into homelessness than are able to find housing and end their homelessness every month. There is a housing shortage. There is an affordability challenge. This is a crisis.

Phoenix Winter: high temperatures the last three days have been 74 degrees, 82 degrees, and 86 degrees. We still prepare for overnight lows in the 40s. With low humidity, 40 is cold. Sleeping outdoors is more than chilly. People with homes aren’t complaining, as this is the season for lower electricity bills.

Facebook reminds me that four years ago today I wrote a blog. And it was the day after the City Council vote on the request to add shelter beds. That was gut wrenching as permission was granted for most of the request, however not all of it. And the set of stipulations that came along with the shelter bed capacity is still daunting. In fact, tonight was one of our regular, stipulated Community Outreach meetings. We have come a long way in four years, with shelter beds added at the CASS Single Adult Shelter on Campus to a total of 600 beds. And the addition of 95 beds in the Respiro shelter built in a Sprung Structure that Keys to Change operates on the Campus. Respiro opened in March of 2022, nearly three years ago.

Progress, yes. Is it enough?

No.

Current events include the need to have a plan for ICE raids in shelters and financial planning should the Federal government pause/stop/cancel funding to housing and homeless services programs. We cannot take the current restraining order as a permanent un-freezing of the actions put into motion last week. Should funding that is already paying rents and emergency shelter expenses, for example, suddenly stop, it would be like a line of train cars crashing. We’ve most likely all seen a train crash scene in a movie or two. The first car is urgently stopped with no slowing down, and all of the cars behind crash or derail. Should landlords of subsidized apartments not be paid, people are evicted and become homeless. Meanwhile if shelters can’t pay staff and operating costs, shelters close, and people who are homeless are also now not in shelter. If we see 516 people on the streets around the Key Campus today, imagine that number tripling and growing from there. A human train wreck.

It’s unconscionable.

In reading the blog post from 2021, I said I would take the high road and not point out the flaws in the process to add shelter beds. In January, one month ago, I suggested we use 2025 as the year to shine the light more brightly on homelessness and proven solutions rather than ignoring the root causes.

Given what has transpired since January 7th, I still believe we need to focus on root cause and tackle long-term systems change. And in order to shine a light more brightly, we are going to need more people to be engaged, to become informed, to advocate, to show up.

I am doing my very best to remain calm and to take the high road. As with the pandemic, I know that as a leader people are looking to me. What was on-the-job-training in emergency/crisis management in 2020 is now an internal guidebook for “How to Survive a Global Pandemic.” I’m not saying we are facing another global disease…maybe it’s a social malady. The point is, I feel prepared to defend our work and to pursue solutions because of the COVID pandemic. It takes focus, discipline, taking care of personal health, and collaboration.

If you’re with me, send me a note, make a donation, tour Key Campus, follow the housing and homelessness related bills at the State legislature, contact your Congressional representatives. We have lots of ideas on how people can engage and advocate. Join us to ignite the bright light.