PHOENIX — After more than two years of fighting, a lawsuit over conditions in what used to be Phoenix’s largest homeless camp is effectively over.
This all started in August 2022 when several downtown property owners sued the city, claiming it wasn’t doing enough to keep conditions clean and safe in “The Zone” homeless encampment, which at its peak had more than a thousand people sleeping on the streets. Lawyers for the property owners claimed it was a public nuisance.
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The city fought the lawsuit in court, wanting to address the crisis on its own terms.
The Maricopa County Superior Court judge ultimately agreed with the property owners and ordered the City of Phoenix to clear out “The Zone” by November 2023. The city had already been working to clear the blocks and help people on the streets with resources and had the encampment cleared out by the deadline.
If you drive through the neighborhood now, you can see “No Camping” signs posted. The streets, for the most part, are cleared out. But there are still people who visibly need help and spend time on the streets while waiting for services from providers in the neighborhood like the Key Campus or Andre House.
Still, the City of Phoenix appealed the order to clear out “The Zone” and lost that appeal this summer. According to appellate court records, the deadline for the city to file a Motion to Reconsider or a Petition for Review just passed without the city taking further action.
Lawyers for the property owners are calling it a win once and for all.
When the 12New I-Team asked the city if this meant the lawsuit was over, a spokesperson said over email that the city was reviewing its options.
Overall, the spokesperson said the City of Phoenix spent close to $375,000 fighting the case in court.
Phoenix is still facing a dueling lawsuit in federal court over the city’s efforts to clean the encampment.
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