PHOENIX, ARIZONA: It has been almost a week since the City of Phoenix completed a significant operation to clear out the homeless camp that was known as 'The Zone'.
The area had become a dangerous place full of crime and drugs, causing residents and business owners to suffer.
But now, they are witnessing some positive changes. On November 1, the City of Phoenix finished cleaning up around 15 blocks of tents and rubbish while also helping people living there to relocate.
This happened a few days before the court-ordered deadline of November 4th.
What led to the cleanup?
Several business owners sued the City of Phoenix for failing to address an ongoing problem for years, resulting in an order from a judge who agreed with them.
The judge referred to the encampment as a “public nuisance.”
Among the plaintiffs is Joel Coplin, who still finds it hard to believe how different the area looks when he steps outside. "It's like something out of a science fiction movie. It's as if you've woken up and everyone has disappeared," he commented.
Coplin's art is inspired by 'The Zone', the area surrounding his studio in downtown Phoenix's Gallery 119 on Jefferson Street.
His studio walls are adorned with artwork that depicts the area. "This is how it was. This is how it appeared when everyone was here," Coplin explained to FOX10 Phoenix.
“(We’re) Hopeful for a good result. Hopeful that everybody gets satisfied. That the people experiencing homelessness can find a home and businesses can conduct business and residents live in peace,” said Coplin.
Joseph Faillace, the owner of Old Station Sub Shop, is also a part of the lawsuit, and his business is located just two blocks from Coplin’s studio.
According to him, they did not want any money, but instead just wanted their neighborhood back.
He said that what he saw around his restaurant on Tuesday was a "miracle."
“It’s better. It’s a lot better. It’s amazing how much the City has done because they had to do it,” Faillace said per azfamily.
He explained that he had to put up a fence around his business earlier due to finding trash, human urine, and feces on his property.
However, this is no longer a problem as he has seen crews cleaning up the area around his business, something he has requested the City to do for years.
Despite these improvements, Faillace mentioned that he’s still seeing unsheltered people hanging around the area, leaving behind trash, and engaging in drug use.
What did Phoenix City officials say?
Phoenix officials affirmed that there is still work to be done.
Rachel Milne, the Director of Homeless Solutions for the City of Phoenix said, ”The City’s main effort is to have our outreach teams to go and engage with unsheltered individuals in the area first, but certainly, police is there to enforce laws,”
Phoenix police officers monitored the area in cars and on foot Tuesday afternoon.
“But now we really need to be strategic moving forward and really helping people from falling into the homeless system and help them exit quickly as well,” said Milne.
According to Milne, the group of nearly 600 individuals who have accepted shelter are staying in various locations throughout Phoenix and not just Downtown.
The City of Phoenix is providing resources to aid in mental health and employment assistance to said individuals.
Milne emphasized that one of the primary objectives is to assist unsheltered individuals in finding permanent and affordable housing to prevent a relapse into homelessness.
A court hearing has been set for November 30th to ensure that the City of Phoenix has followed through with the clean-up deadline.
