PHOENIX — The City of Phoenix now has a new deadline to clean out its largest homeless encampment.
In a ruling obtained by 12News Wednesday afternoon, Judge Scott Blaney wrote the city has until Nov. 4 – about six weeks from now – to clear out all the tents from the downtown encampment and abate the public nuisance.
The new ruling is a win for property owners in that neighborhood, just a few blocks from the State Capitol. More than a dozen neighbors took the city to court last year over conditions in "The Zone," saying the city wasn't doing enough to keep the area clean and safe.
Earlier this year, Judge Blaney granted a preliminary injunction, ordering the City to clean up the neighborhood and abate the public nuisance.
Now that order is permanent, with the judge determining that the city won't clean up "The Zone" unless it's forced to do so, according to the ruling.
Previously, the City of Phoenix promised in court they would clean the encampment up by April of next year. The city is also in the process of appealing the judge's first ruling.
"The City of Phoenix is disappointed with the Court’s ruling. The City is addressing the area around the Human Services Campus strategically, one block at a time to ensure we can offer every individual we engage with shelter. The City is reviewing the Court’s ruling and exploring legal options," the City said in a statement to 12News.
In a count last week, the population in the encampment area dipped below 500 for the first time in several months. At its peak, the population in "The Zone" was more than 1,000 people living on the streets.
>> This is a developing story. Check back for details.