Scottsdale panel hears that unsheltered homelessness rose to 105; city and partners outline outreach, day centers and placements

Scottsdale — City human services staff and nonprofit partners told the Human Services Advisory Commission on Sept. 11 that the number of people the city counted living unsheltered rose to 105 this year and described ongoing outreach, day-relief services and placement work aimed at connecting people to housing and care.

City human services manager Sue Oh said the city conducts an annual point-in-time (PIT) count with Maricopa County and that "HUD requires that COCs conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and safe havens on a single night." She said Scottsdale’s unsheltered count was 105 this year, up from 89 last year and 64 in 2023, and that the largest age group interviewed in Scottsdale was 55 to 64. Oh added the count included six people who reported veteran status and roughly 26 females and 79 males in the local tally.

Why it matters: commissioners and presenters said the PIT count underestimates total need because outreach contacts, day-center visits and police contacts suggest a substantially larger population. The commission heard detailed service data and limits on capacity, and staff flagged logistical gaps the city and partners are exploring, including adding laundry services and potentially holding a PIT count at a different time of year.

What the city and partners said

Sue Oh summarized city-supported services: a city-contracted caseworker dedicated to homeless navigation and five Phoenix Rescue Mission (PRM) caseworkers who provide outreach, targeted joint outreach with the Scottsdale Police Department, court case management and case management at day-relief centers. Oh gave day center schedules: Community House operates Mondays 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Vista Del Camino operates Tuesday–Thursday 9 a.m.–4 p.m. She said the city’s in-house navigation caseworker and partner caseworkers generally work standard business hours, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Pastor Jackie Parks, executive director of Community House and pastor at South Scottsdale Presbyterian Church, described Community House’s combination of hospitality, showers, clothing, meals and a growing workforce-development program. "Community House exists to bring community, dignity, and hope to our friends experiencing homelessness," Parks said, noting the program started in July 2018 and now engages about 125 volunteers. She said Community House provides up to about 70 showers a week and hopes to expand to multiple days per week if a more permanent site is found. Parks said some participants move into stable housing and several have obtained jobs through the program’s employer outreach.

Phoenix Rescue Mission outreach and outcomes

Gabe Priddy, director of street outreach for Phoenix Rescue Mission, explained his team's data categories—"contacts," "engagements" and "placements"—and why they matter. He said anonymous "contacts" include a bottle of water and a hope tote handed out during outreach; "engagements" are when staff learn identifiable information or provide a service with monetary value; and "placements" are outcomes such as permanent housing, temporary placements or entry into PRM residential programs.

Priddy presented program counts (January 31–late August, per slides): at day-relief centers PRM reported 2,187 contacts, 463 engagements and 23 placements. Outreach/navigation totals were 1,303 contacts, 592 engagements and 50 placements (20 to Phoenix Rescue Mission residential programs, 10 to permanent housing and 20 to external temporary placements). PRM’s community-intervention-court work had six clients assigned, one successful completion, 12 transports to services and five still in progress. Priddy said much of the current contract funding for outreach is opioid-related and includes overdose awareness materials and, when appropriate, Narcan distribution.

Police approach and coordination

Lieutenant Kevin Kwan of the Scottsdale Police Department described a combined strategy of education, targeted enforcement and outreach. "We take a multi-pronged approach to homelessness," Kwan said, noting the department provided an extended education period after the city’s urban camping ordinance took effect and continues to pair officers with outreach partners. He said officers deliver water, hygiene kits and bus passes and coordinate with PRM and city human services when individuals want help; city staff and PRM can typically respond with case management within 30–60 minutes when requested.

Items commissioners pressed on

- PIT timing and accuracy: Commissioners asked whether Scottsdale could run a summer PIT count; staff said the city lacks capacity now but could consider a non-January count if additional volunteers and police support are available. - Service-hour coverage and staffing: Commissioners asked about caseworker hours (city and PRM caseworkers generally working 8 a.m.–5 p.m. M–F; PRM has staff stationed at day centers Monday–Thursday and a library-based case manager Monday–Thursday with Friday coverage at another site). PRM noted some outreach and relationship-building occur early mornings to reach people who move through downtown. - Unduplicated engagement: PRM said the slides show duplicated engagements and offered to supply unduplicated engagement counts later. PRM staff said a single outreach trip that results in multiple services typically counts as one engagement for that person. - Day-center scale: PRM staff reported Vista Del Camino averages about 200 unduplicated people served per month; Community House reported large volunteer support and up to 70 showers weekly.

Decisions and administrative items

The commission approved minutes from its Aug. 28 meeting and completed annual officer elections: Roger Lurie was re-elected chair and Mary Young was re-elected vice chair by roll-call votes. Commissioners also noted that City Council previously approved the commission’s recommended funding for Community House as part of the city’s annual funding process; Parks explained those funds help cover operations, meals, clothing and rental costs.

Limitations and next steps

Presenters and commissioners repeatedly cautioned that PIT counts are a single-night snapshot and can undercount people who avoid the count or seek shelter elsewhere. PRM and city staff identified service gaps—laundry access, more shower capacity and expanded day-center days—and said they are exploring partnerships, including with nonprofits that provide laundry services and possible use of the city shower trailer (on-site 3 days a week at Vista Del Camino and not readily movable). Staff also said they will discuss options for a supplemental PIT count and said they welcome volunteer and police support.

Why the meeting matters going forward

Commissioners and presenters emphasized that a combination of daily outreach, stationary day-relief services, case management, court-based diversion and police education/enforcement are being used to connect people to housing and care. Presenters stressed the limits of current capacity and funding; PRM said outreach placements are small relative to contacts and engagements but represent individual transitions off the street. The commission scheduled upcoming agenda items that include the CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report) and an initial CDBG set-aside discussion.

Ending note

Commissioners thanked staff and partners for the presentations and encouraged commissioners to visit Community House and other sites to observe services and volunteer coordination firsthand.