By Richard Smith
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X: @rsmithYWV

While homelessness is up in general throughout Maricopa County, according to Maricopa Association of Government’s annual Point-in-Time count, Glendale saw a nearly 20% decrease in unsheltered people.

Volunteers fanned out across Maricopa County on Jan. 29 to count those experiencing homelessness in the county. Glendale’s number was 169 — the city’s lowest since 2017 — and a sign of progress from the 2024 count of 211 unsheltered people.

With Family Promise Legacy Village opening a 22-unit shipping container village of transitional housing in June and a Veterans Community Project under construction with 50 smaller cottages for veterans scheduled to open in 2027, there’s a belief that the number of unsheltered people will continue to drop.

“Through our new partnership with the Veterans Community Project, a new Veterans Village comprised of 50 cottages is being developed as transitional housing for veterans in need to further tackle the homeless challenge. Our ultimate goal will always be zero homelessness in our city,” Mayor Jerry Weiers stated in a news release.

Living unsheltered could include sleeping in parks, cars, and other places not meant for habitation. Count results are a “snapshot” and will be used to help the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development support homeless assistance programs and allocate resources.

Glendale’s homeless count peaked at 406 in 2022, the first year the survey could monitor the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on housing. The count then nose dived to 170 in 2023 before creeping up to 211 in 2024.

“Glendale recognizes that the one-year reduction in the Point-in-Time Count is an encouraging sign that we are making a difference among people experiencing homelessness. This progress is promising and reflects the tremendous efforts put forth by our service providers, as well as local and regional efforts to meet the needs of our most vulnerable population,” said Elise Smith, human services coordinator in Glendale’s Community Services Department.

MAG does not collect city-level data for the sheltered count, people with at least a temporary place to live.

The group maintains an aggregate count by region. In the West Valley, 242 people experienced sheltered homelessness, either residing in an emergency shelter or some form of temporary housing.

“We are committed to the regional efforts coordinated by MAG, including Pathways Home, which aligns resources across the Valley to increase safe housing options and support partnerships to address homelessness. Our local efforts include street outreach, case management, housing assistance and the creation of new affordable housing,” Smith stated.

MAG officials said between 2024 and 2025, federal funding expired for more than 1,000 shelter beds across the region, which was instrumental in reducing unsheltered homelessness during that time.

It is the lowest number of unsheltered homeless people in Glendale under this counting method since 2017.

“I was pleased to see Glendale’s homeless point-in-time count has gone down this year,” Weiers stated. “These improved numbers are the direct result of the dedicated, coordinated work of our Community Services Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Glendale Works program.”

While the downtown area may be where unsheltered homelessness is the most visible, Smith said individuals can experience homelessness anywhere in the city, whether it is sheltered or unsheltered.

Places where unhoused individuals take refuge can change depending on available resources, their needs and even the weather. To best respond to these needs, Glendale’s street outreach teams connect with people experiencing homelessness wherever they may be.

“Successful outreach requires building rapport with clients over time to establish enough trust to begin the journey to end their homelessness. By remaining responsive to these shifts, we are literally meeting people where they are at, in order to provide the most effective level of care possible,” Smith said.

Rachel Milne, co-chair of the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care, said the funding landscape remains challenging in light of proposed federal cuts to rental assistance and social service programs.

“Communities across our region, including the city of Phoenix, have been working hard to fill the gaps left by the expiration of temporary federal funds this past year,” Milne stated. “Those funds did a lot for our community: they helped us design new ways to house and serve our unsheltered neighbors; they provided supportive services for seniors, families, and individuals to help end their homelessness; and they allowed us to increase the number of shelter beds available to provide a safe, indoor space for thousands of people in need.”

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.