Roosevelt neighborhood urges dedicated park ranger, stronger enforcement at Hans Park

Bill Scheel, speaking for the Roosevelt neighborhood, urged city officials at a Phoenix budget hearing to assign a dedicated park ranger and increase enforcement at Hans Park, which he described as the city's cultural center but "in a chronic and ongoing crisis of crime, drug use, and vagrancy."

Scheel said the park serves regional events and cultural institutions but that conditions have deteriorated. "For instance, one morning last week, we counted 57 individuals who were using the park as their daytime living space," Scheel said. He said the current approach yields episodic ranger visits that displace people temporarily but do not prevent return visits by the same individuals.

"We need a dedicated park ranger for Hans Park," Scheel said, adding that the neighborhood also wants "more consistent and aggressive enforcement of those existing park rules to keep the park safe and inviting." He told the council the neighborhood strongly supports the homeless funding included in the trial budget.

Scheel characterized Hans Park as important for tourism and economic development, noting nearby venues including cultural centers, libraries and the Phoenix theater district; he framed his request as both a quality-of-life and economic development issue. The comment came during the public comment portion of the FY2026 trial-budget hearing; city staff will compile comments from hearings across the city for council consideration before a May 21 vote.