Volunteers with the Aris Foundation hand out food on a Tuesday evening in Tempe to those who are experiencing homelessness or food insecurity. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror
In Arizona, we are witnessing a dangerous pattern that cycles people between eviction, homelessness, and incarceration. It’s a system we call the Eviction-to-Prison Pipeline — and it’s tightening across the state through city ordinances, ballot propositions, and court decisions that make it a crime to be poor instead of lifting families out of poverty.
This week marks one year since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, allowing cities to arrest people for sleeping outdoors — even when no shelter is available. In the 12 months since, we’ve seen the full weight of that ruling play out on Arizona’s streets…