Homeless camp near downtown disbanded
People near Hance Park told to pack up and leave
More than a half a dozen homeless men and women were ordered to load up their belongings and leave a highly visible encampment that popped up in the last several days near Hance Park in downtown Phoenix.
“They want us to move, but there’s no place to move to,” said Jimmy Walker, 53. “If we stay here, we’ll get a ticket. A ticket for what?” said Walker, who said he had moved to Phoenix from Detroit.
Phoenix police Sgt. Mike Meelhuysen said the department had received a complaint about the encampment, which is in the shadow of several new high-rise condo complexes and in the direct line of sight of motorists exiting the Interstate 10 off ramp at Third Street. He said he did not know who had filed the complaint.
The encampment was also next to a school that has experienced issues with transients trespassing.
Two social workers from Community Bridges agency were on scene interviewing people as they packed up. Meelhuysen said officers were trying to assess whether any of the people who were ordered to move needed any medical or social services.
“We’re getting people help if they want it,” he said, “but not all of them want it.”
Walker said he had been to the Central Arizona Shelter Services facility before and preferred to sleep on the street. He said the shelter was too crowded and dirty.
Michael Garcia was packing his belongings on a wheelchair that was already piled 5 feet high.
He said he had applied for a transitional housing voucher and needed it now more than ever.
Until then, he said he’d be “biding my time and trying to stay out of the county jail.”
The encampment had been there at least since Sunday.
City spokeswoman Tamra Ingersoll said the property is owned by the Arizona Department of Transportation and managed by the city under an intergovernmental agreement.
“They want us to move, but there’s no place to move to. If we stay here, we’ll get a ticket. A ticket for what?” Jimmy Walker
Ingersoll said officers and social workers had already been assigned to do routine outreach on the site, but that a complaint had been filed Tuesday morning by someone who had been passing by the property.
Phoenix has long grappled with homelessness issues. In two weeks, Maricopa County will conduct its annual “point-in-time” count to try and determine the homeless population.
Last year, more than 6,000 individuals were counted in all corners of the county. The highest concentrations were in and around downtown Phoenix.
Two years ago, Phoenix created a program through which residents can report homeless encampments. The program also encourages police to give homeless people the chance to accept social services before citing or arresting them for trespassing or urban camping violations.
Last month the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling prohibiting police for making urban camping arrests if there is no other safe place for the homeless to go.