City of Tempe issued the following announcement on Dec. 10.
The City of Tempe will immediately fund an accelerated response to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness, keep parks safe and launch an innovative mental health response team.
The funding will provide more homeless outreach specialists working citywide, a new mental health response team, assistance with housing, enhanced park maintenance, park security and other efforts.
The City Council unanimously approved the proposal Dec. 9 at its Regular Council Meeting.
Backing a new Human Services-focused strategy, the City Council approved a mid-year budget adjustment of approximately $262,000 and accelerated a fiscal year 2022-23 budget request for more than $1 million. The total investment of about $1.3 million will enable quicker implementation of the comprehensive strategy, improving quality of life for those in need and the broader community.
“We have significantly shifted our strategies to meet needs, bringing together multiple city departments, nonprofits and other partners with expertise that allows us to address solutions for those who are unsheltered from all angles,” said Mayor Corey Woods.
“It's important that we take a Human Services-focused approach to provide connections to housing and social services that can help individuals experiencing homelessness,” Woods said. “I’m proud that our strategy takes a balanced approach to ensure that we assist those in need, do not criminalize homelessness and have a safe, welcoming parks and public spaces.”
The new investment will have substantial community impact, according to projections from the city’s Human Services Department. For example:
- Creating a full-time position dedicated to Tempe Works, the city’s unique jobs program, allows the city to increase the number of people accessing jobs and connecting to housing and wrap-around services.
- Adding two specialists to the city’s HOPE homeless outreach team will on average result in an additional 50 people housed per year and provide more opportunity for proactive interactions. In addition, expanding the number of specialists helps ensure that the city has a consistent and visible presence in high-demand areas.
- Expanding the city’s new mental health response team will allow the team to assist with 600 additional calls per year and increase availability throughout the week.
- Adding a housing specialist will support efforts to connect individuals with short-term and long-term housing options being created by the city.
The new unit is led by an unbadged supervisor with a master’s degree in crisis intervention. This six-month pilot project brings together the department’s Crime Prevention and Parks teams. Parks officers work closely with the city’s homeless outreach specialists, CARE 7 crisis response team, community nonprofits and others. Now, they will temporarily adopt the name of Quality of Life Officers and expand their role in city parks, adjacent neighborhoods and the broader community.
The approved proposal also provides recurring funding for private unarmed security professionals in city parks.
In recent years, the city has increased investments as part of its performance measure to end homelessness. This means transforming homelessness into a rare, brief and one-time experience for any person in our community who finds themselves in this situation.
To do this, Tempe has developed a comprehensive system of support that includes street outreach, connection to social services, case management, crisis response, mental health resources, emergency and transitional shelter, housing and the jobs program. In addition, Tempe collaborates with nonprofits such as Tempe Community Action Agency and other community partners.
Councilmembers have directed increased investments each year to grow the city’s efforts. Earlier this year, the council sought the new multi-department strategy led by the Human Services Department and voted to fund parts of the strategy. Thursday’s action provides full funding and also accelerates the FY 22-23 supplemental request.
A regional plan to address homelessness, backed by local and tribal governments, is also moving forward. Led by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), the Pathways Home Plan calls for a $133 million investment to reach a target goal of reducing homelessness by 25% by 2027. MAG’s Regional Council, of which Woods is a member, voted to approve the plan Dec. 8.
Original source can be found here.
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