City of Surprise getting ahead of homeless encampment ordinance
SURPRISE, Ariz. - The crackdown on homeless camps is stretching from the inner city to the suburbs and now the city of Surprise has started its own program to clear the streets.
A new ordinance, Arizona Proposition 312 which passed in the November election, restricts urban camping in the city.
What that means is anyone setting up long-term housing or living in public spaces like parks can no longer do so.
Surprise City Councilor Jack Hastings helped set the ordinance into motion and we asked him about the goals and resources of the enforcement.
READ MORE: Results for Arizona's ballot propositions | 2024 Election
It allows property owners to get tax refunds for money they’ve spent due to local governments failing to enforce laws against illegal camping. The City of Surprise is getting ahead of the issue.
"We are trying to create opportunities for people to come to Surprise and one of those things that people look for is they want a clean, safe city and streets, and they want people following the law," Hastings said.
He is also the Surprise City Councilman representative for District 5.
Ordinance 2024-30 passed unanimously, making it against the law in Surprise to set up a homeless camp, wash in a public fountain, or urinate and defecate in public.
It's an ordinance the US Supreme Court allowed in June of this year.
"This isn't necessarily just the end all, be all, right? This is not the first thing we're going to be doing, but it does empower our law enforcement to take action after certain other things have been unsuccessful," said Hastings.
The Surprise Police Department is heading the effort
"It’s a partnership between myself and community services, and so what we have gone with is accountability with services," said Surprise Police Chief Benny Piña.
"We have a responsibility to our residents and to our taxpayers to have safe, clean, streets," added Hastings.
Surprise residents like Jerry McDowell, want to be able to enjoy the public spaces their tax dollars go towards.
"I’m a mail carrier. I live in Phoenix and I see it all the time. They need to help the homeless population. We need more places for them to go to than to congregate where my grandchildren play," said McDowell.
"Just because, you know, we don't have thousands of homeless here doesn't mean we can't get out in front of the situation to get ahead of it," Hastings said.
Some feel the root causes are deeper, like Executive director of the Fuerte Arts Movement Dominique Medina, who says the root of the problem is the lack of affordable housing.
"I mean, I think in the long-term we need to move away from housing for profit. Housing, shelter is a human necessity as long as we look at it as a way for people to profit then we’re not gonna ever have housing for all," Medina said.