We’ve all witnessed the rise of homelessness throughout Maricopa County. We all watched the national headlines covering the “Zone,” in downtown Phoenix being cleared. We all knew that compassion never came from allowing our fellow men and women to live on the street, and we knew that when the Zone was cleared, the problem would not simply go away.
Over the last five years, the number of chronically homeless individuals in Maricopa County increased by an astronomical 119 percent, according to a recent study by the Common Sense Institute.This data point illustrates the reality that those of us who call Arizona home already know—too many in our community are struggling with addiction and mental illness, with homelessness as a result. This heartbreaking crisis is a clarion call to compassionate and thoughtful action.
In November, I was honored to be elected to the Scottsdale City Council. Finding solutions is not just a priority, it is a necessity—and I am taking action with my new colleagues…