House subcommittee hears testimony on Arizona homelessness crisis
Bridget Dowd/KJZZ
The Arizona House of Representatives exterior as seen on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023.
A state House of Representatives subcommittee met Thursday to address Arizona’s growing homelessness crisis.
Legislative efforts have amplified following court orders to clear the homeless encampment called “The Zone” in downtown Phoenix last year.
Republican Committee Chairman Matt Gress says fixing the problem requires efforts beyond providing more shelter spaces.
"While it might be noble to take people off the street and provide them shelter, without significant structure and accountability, this kind of program simply amounts to warehousing our homeless population," Gress said.
The committee is hearing testimony to introduce legislation addressing the crisis by the end of the month.
