Scottsdale Program Provides Housing, Hope To Homeless
SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A hotel is providing temporary shelter to approximately 28 homeless people in Scottsdale, many of whom have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
That shelter was made possible through a partnership between the city of Scottsdale’s Human Services Department, the Phoenix Rescue Mission and Community Bridges using federal CARES Act funds. The city allocated $29 million for community investment, $395,000 of which is funding the temporary hotel shelter program.
“This program is the silver lining to a very tough year,” Human Services Department Director Greg Bestgen said in a statement. “Together, we have been able to help more people experiencing homelessness through CARES Act funding and support from city leaders.”
The Maricopa Association of Governments conducts a point-in-time count each year to determine the number of homeless people in Maricopa County on a single night. In early 2020, Scottsdale recorded 102 unsheltered people on the night in question. In 2019, that number was 76.
Phoenix Rescue Mission navigators are assigned to Scottsdale to meet with anyone who appears to be experiencing homelessness and assess their situation. Each navigator could meet up to 60 contacts per week, prioritizing those over the age of 55 or anyone with a disability.
Community Bridges has six staff members managing the 24/7 hotel shelter. Some of their duties include helping residents secure long-term housing, obtain important documents such as a driver’s license or birth certificate, provide guidance on financial matters and educate on other local support programs. That support continues after each person leaves the program.
Each referral is tested for the coronavirus before entering the shelter program. If someone tests positive, other Maricopa County programs step in to assist them, according to a news release from the city.
Those involved said this program has been especially important in keeping people safe and healthy during the pandemic, offering people a place to social distance and isolate.
“Maricopa County has always had shelter beds but there’s never been enough. These smaller specialized shelters have been absolutely necessary, and the CARES Act funding has given us resources we didn’t have before,” Community Bridges Housing and Community Integration Director Elizabeth DaCosta said. “Not only is the hotel shelter program humanely giving our high-risk vulnerable population a safe and stable place to stay, but it also decreases the risk of exposure by getting people who are experiencing homelessness tested for COVID-19 and giving them a place to isolate indoors.”
Many of the program's beneficiaries graduate and go on to bigger and better things.
One such graduate, Richard, was a veteran who experienced years of homelessness and legal programs. He came to the shelter with active warrants on his record and was not receiving the military benefits owed to him for his years of service. He was at the shelter for one month, during which the staff helped him pay off his warrants, move into his own apartment and begin receiving payments from the Veterans Administration.
Likewise, Michael came to the shelter after five years on the streets. He was able to obtain a full time job and is now looking for an apartment to call his own. The program also helped him obtain important legal documents so he could open his first bank account. He's also started volunteering at a local church to help others experiencing homelessness.
“Before the program, there were no people actively in a housing plan program in Scottsdale but with the temporary hotel shelter program, there are now 28.” said DaCosta. “The benefit of having more of Scottsdale’s citizens in-need reaching out is that they are able to get connected to resources and long-term support.”
This article originally appeared on the Scottsdale Patch
