Some in Glendale believe the city has an opportunity to make a real push in the battle against having the West Valley’s largest homeless community. Timing is everything, however.
The Community Services Department pitched what Director Jean Moreno calls a pilot program to curb homelessness by devoting $3.2 million of a one-time grant fund through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to target affordable housing and homeless services.
The $2 trillion economic CARES Act relief package, signed into law in March, provides help from the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
Future federal assistance is uncertain. And “under normal circumstances,” emergency solutions grant funding in Glendale ordinarily amounts to around $200,000 annually, Ms. Moreno notes.
In this case, the city would have two years to spend the $3.2 million in CARES funding targeted specifically for pandemic-related issues, and Glendale’s Community Development Advisory Committee has named affordable housing as its “priority goal” in the ongoing homelessness strategy and neighborhood improvement projects.
“This is a very unique one-time opportunity to, for lack of a better word, create the biggest bang for our buck,” Ms. Moreno said at a presentation during a Glendale city council workshop on Dec. 8.
The Community Services Department aims to manage the program under a proposed master services agreement that would include providers who are experts in addressing the needs of the actively homeless.
“It’s something new and different, but it is something we feel very strongly, and the Community Development Advisory Committee felt very strongly about it,” Ms. Moreno added. “It’s something that we need to try to try to create the greatest impact with this one-time funding.”
Glendale has the largest homeless community in the West Valley, according to the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). Formed more than 50 years ago, the association serves as the regional planning agency for the greater Phoenix area, and its Point-in-Time Homeless Count is an annual street and shelter report to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County during a given point in time.
Its 2020 report found Glendale to have 170 of Maricopa County’s 3,767 unsheltered people, the county’s fourth highest such population. That was down from 194 in 2019, but by far the most among West Valley communities. The next closest is Peoria with 83. The largest number of unsheltered people in the East Valley is Tempe’s 396.
“To our knowledge we would be the first doing something like this,” Ms. Moreno said of the proposed program.
Of the approximately $9 million in grant money the city would potentially allocate, one-third ($3.3 million) would go toward affordable housing efforts, including $1 million toward eviction prevention and rapid rehousing. Among the approaches the city’s landlord liaison services would take would be to educate local landlords on the benefits of providing affordable housing, such as steady tenant income and occupied units.
“Helping our tenants find those affordable units is critical to continuing on our mission to prevent eviction and to ensure that people have access to decent affordable housing in our community,” Ms. Moreno said.
The allocation recommendations came unanimously from the city’s Community Development Advisory Committee, a 12-member group of residents that makes recommendations to city council regarding the allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds to eligible area nonprofit groups; advises on the city’s community housing programs and the city’s Community Action Program; and provides general advice on human services in Glendale.
The Community Services Department will next prepare a fiscal year 2020-21 action plan amendment for a future council vote, likely in January or February, as well as preparing a fiscal year 2021-22 action plan.
The team hopes to present its findings at a March council workshop, introduce a March/April public comment period, host an April public hearing, and ultimately present for council action in May.
According to the Maricopa Association of Governments’ “Municipal Responses to Homelessness” report from February 2020, CDBG and ESG funds are provided to support shelter for Glendale singles and families, and those fleeing domestic violence and trafficking. Glendale provides funding for rapid rehousing to two nonprofit partners and funds homeless prevention programs.
The report found that in fiscal year 2018-19, Glendale invested $259,297 in housing interventions and served 902 individuals. In fiscal year 2019-20, the city will invest $385,072.
The Maricopa Association of Governments reports the city’s three Public Housing Communities include a total of 155 units with a homeless admission preference. The communities are Lamar Homes (51 units), built in 1941, Glendale Homes (70 units), built in 1952, and Cholla Vista Apartments (34 units), built in 1980. In addition, Glendale administers a 1,054 Housing Choice Voucher program that has a homeless admission preference.
The city also partners with Phoenix Rescue Mission for the Glendale Works program -- a street outreach opportunity for homeless individuals to participate in cleaning the city's public areas in exchange for a cash payment each day of $55, not to exceed $600 per calendar year. Participants also receive breakfast, lunch, and referrals to various resources and services of which they’re in need, ranging from identification documents to GED and vocational services, as well as housing services, MAG reports.
In its pilot year, Glendale Works was expected to assist 80 individuals and actually assisted 250, with 40 placements in permanent housing, MAG says.
Glendale Works is completely voluntary, and every homeless person contacted is provided an opportunity. Residents who know someone who would be interested in this program should have them call the Phoenix Rescue Mission at 602-346-3375.
Steve Stockmar News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net @stevestockmar
Meet Steve Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.
Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.
Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.
Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.
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