Human Services Department Homeless Programs provide emergency shelter, rapid-rehousing (Housing First), street outreach and supportive services components for homeless families, youth and individuals through city programs and through contracts with local community providers. Homeless Programs also oversees the City's heat/cold mitigation responses through the coordination of the Summer/Winter Respite Programs and Heat Relief Network to provide hydration, refuge and wellness checks to the homeless, elderly and disabled. Homeless Programs coordinates the annual The Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Street Count which is a regional one-night street count used to determine the number of person experiencing homelessness within Maricopa County.
Watkins Emergency Shelter Program
The Watkins Emergency Shelter Program provides year-round emergency shelter for homeless single women and families. Services include: sleeping accommodations, meals, laundry, clothing, health care, behavioral health, housing resources and case management.
Summer Respite and Winter Respite
The Summer Respite and Winter Respite programs coordinates the collection, storage and distribution of essential items to homeless living on the streets of Phoenix. The items are distributed by local community and faith-based homeless outreach teams. Items include: water, sunscreen, hats, hygiene items, blankets, shoes and seasonal clothing.
Phoenix Heat Relief Network
The Phoenix Heat Relief Network is the City of Phoenix largest member of the Heat Relief Network. The Heat Relief Network is a regionally coordinated effort comprised of community and faith-based organizations, businesses and the community to help provide hydration, refuge and wellness checks to homeless on the streets, elderly and people with disabilities living in their homes during the extreme summer weather conditions.
Point-in-Time Homeless Street Count
The Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Street Count is a one-night street and shelter count held annually in January to determine the number of persons experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County during a given point-in-time. The count includes a brief survey to identify some characteristics of persons experiencing homelessness in the community. As the lead agency for the Maricopa County Continuum of Care, The Maricopa Association of Governments coordinates the regional count each year. The City of Phoenix is the largest participant in the Homeless Street Count.
