Charles lost his job in the pandemic and was living out of his inoperable vehicle near “The Zone” homeless encampment in downtown Phoenix. He didn’t want to accept a shelter bed because he thought that would mean giving up his vehicle.
Phoenix Office of Homeless Solutions liaison Caroline Fon said she engaged with Charles daily for two weeks to build rapport and eventually led him to accept a shelter bed, connected him with storage options for his vehicle and helped him get a new battery for the vehicle.
Fon and shelter teams are now helping Charles, who was only identified by the city using his first name, find permanent housing. Because he is a veteran, he is eligible for veteran-specific options.
