Attachment A 4-3-24-PSJ Subcommittee Minutes - Updated Draft.pdf

Phoenix City Council 
Public Safety and Justice (PSJ) Subcommittee 
Summary Minutes 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024 
City Council Chambers 
200 W. Jefferson St. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Subcommittee Members Present                    Subcommittee Members Absent         
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, Chair 
         
Councilman Kevin Robinson 
Councilman Jim Waring (Virtual) 
Councilwoman Guardado 
 
CALL TO ORDER 
Chairwoman O’Brien called the Public Safety and Justice (PSJ) Subcommittee to order 
at 10:03 a.m. with Councilwoman Guardado, Councilman Kevin Robinson and 
Councilman Jim Waring present.  
CALL TO THE PUBLIC 
None. 
 
MINUTES OF MEETINGS 
1. Minutes of the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee Meeting 
Councilman Waring made a motion to approve the minutes of the March 6, 2024, Public 
Safety and Justice Subcommittee meeting. Councilman Robinson seconded the motion 
which passed unanimously, 4-0. 
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION (ITEM 2)  
 
2. Proposed Amendment to Camping Ordinance 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien introduced Assistant City Attorney Luke Christian to present on 
this item. 
 
Mr. Christian provided background on the City’s camping policies in the current City 
code and gave a summary of the potential addition to 23-30. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien opened the floor to public comment.  
 
Cody Brafford stated opposition to the proposal and provided testimony involving people 
they have worked with experiencing homelessness. 
 
Attachment A

Tony Harris stated opposition to the proposal and concern regarding space in shelters 
to accommodate those who would be affected by this action. 
 
Elizabeth Venable stated opposition to the proposal due to possible legal issues it could 
bring up. 
 
Councilman Waring stated this proposal is the beginning of addressing the issue until 
there is a federal decision that will provide more guidance.  
 
Assistant City Manager Lori Bays stated as the legal landscape changes staff will bring 
further information to Councilmembers for consideration. 
 
Councilman Waring addressed each of the public comments and recognized their good 
intentions, but stated it was not fair for residents who feel as if they cannot use city 
amenities because of people experiencing homelessness camping there. He stated he 
thought this was a good first step to address this issue. He detailed his experiences 
seeing people panhandling on 7th Avenue and contacting Phoenix Police. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado asked if the City needs to have enough beds before this 
ordinance can be enforced. 
 
Mr. Christian recommended providing legal advice on specific circumstances in 
executive session. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado stated she needs to know this information before she can 
vote on the item. 
 
Mr. Christian stated the injunction being referenced would require that before the City 
enforces 23-30, there must be an available space at a shelter or an alternative space for 
people to camp.  
 
Councilwoman Guardado asked what would happen if there were no beds available. 
 
Mr. Christian stated that would impact the City’s ability to enforce, but the injunction 
states if there is an alternative camping space available then the City could enforce. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado asked how many beds were available today. 
 
Director of the Office of Homeless Solutions Rachel Milne stated the number changes 
daily, but there are usually a handful available at any given time. She stated there are 
790 beds in various stages of construction right now. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado asked if this policy were to pass soon, how many beds would 
be available at that time.

Ms. Milne stated they do not anticipate bringing any new beds in the next few weeks, so 
the current count would be the same amount that would be available.  
 
Councilwoman Guardado asked if this policy will be impossible to enforce if there were 
no beds available. 
 
Mr. Christian stated the injunction allows for other alternative spaces, not just shelters. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado asked if that means someone could just move 500 feet away 
from a school and then camp. 
 
Mr. Christian stated assuming there were no other violations, that is correct. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado stated this ordinance simply moves people 500 feet. She 
asked if she was correct in stating there were no shelter beds coming online in the next 
few months.  
 
Ms. Milne stated that was correct. 
 
Councilwoman Guardado stated she understands the challenges with this issue, and 
she sympathizes with people who feel they cannot use the parks due to people 
experiencing homelessness camping there. She stated she does not feel this proposal 
is the solution. She mentioned the need to add new shelter beds throughout the City, 
and although she will be supporting this item today, she wants real solutions to this 
issue. She stated she does not think this is fair for Phoenix Police either, as they will 
have to enforce this additional camping ban. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked what would happen if the Supreme Court upheld the Grants 
Pass v. Johnson case and if this ordinance would be in compliance with that decision. 
 
Mr. Christian stated if the Supreme Court upheld Grants Pass, the status quo would 
remain as it is now. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if the ordinance would be in compliance with the decision if 
the case was upheld. 
 
Mr. Christian stated recommended discussing these details in executive session. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if the Safe Outdoor Space is fully open.  
 
Ms. Milne stated the Safe Outdoor Space currently has 107 individuals utilizing the 
space, with a capacity of up to 300 individuals.  
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if 500 beds were brought online in 2022 and if an additional 
480 temporary beds were added in 2023.

Ms. Milne stated that was correct. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if the Safe Outdoor Space is considered a low-barrier entry 
facility. 
 
Ms. Milne answered yes. 
 
Chairwoman stated her office has been working with Arizona State University (ASU) to 
help provide legal resources and discussed the recent opening of the Community Court 
program. She stated the City is leading with services and residents want to feel safe at 
schools and daycares. 
 
Councilman Waring moved to approve the motion, and Councilman Robinson seconded 
the motion.  
 
The motion passed 3-1. 
 
INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (ITEMS 3-4)  
 
3. Opioid Response Planning: Environmental Scan Results 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien introduced Public Health Advisor Nicole Witt and Dr. Michelle 
Shiota to present on this item. 
 
Ms. Witt provided background on the City’s efforts to address opioid use. She 
summarized the three assessments completed in 2023 including the Opioid and 
Substance Use Needs Assessment, Service Needs of People Who Use Drugs, and the 
City of Phoenix Community Opioid and Substance Use Survey. She discussed the 
Substance Use Needs Assessment and the 30 recommendations created from the 
survey results including common barriers in accessing services and strategies to fund 
prevention and treatment.  
 
Dr. Shiota discussed the Phoenix Community Survey and stated it was completed by 
765 residents. She stated 31 percent of the sample reported use of opioids in the past 
five years, and 70 percent of respondents felt this was a serious issue. She stated there 
was strong support for all areas of intervention included in the survey, and she 
summarized overall key takeaways. 
 
Councilman Waring left the meeting at 10:47 a.m. 
 
Ms. Witt provided next steps including bringing a five-year plan to Council for approval.

Councilwoman Guardado stated addiction is not a sign of weakness or moral failure, 
and there is hope for treatment. She asked for a briefing about how different groups can 
come together to support this effort. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien stated her interest in assisting with the prevention piece of this 
strategy. She stated she is looking forward to more data-proven strategies to address 
opioid use. 
 
4. Community Assistance Program (CAP) Hiring, Recruitment, and Metric Report 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien introduced Assistant Chief Raymond Ochoa and CAP 
Administrator D.C. Ernst to present on this item. 
 
Recess at 10:54 a.m. 
 
Meeting resumed at 10:55 a.m. 
 
Ms. Ernst provided data on current staffing, recruitment efforts, and current units in-
service. She provided a heat map indicating call volume throughout the City and Crisis 
Response Unit (CRU) locations. She provided data on individuals served, which differs 
from their number of calls because they often assist multiple people on scene. She 
presented another heat map with call locations and Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) 
locations. She summarized next steps including continuous hiring efforts. 
 
Councilman Robinson asked if staff is having a difficult time hiring individuals or if the 
hiring process is slowing them down. 
 
Ms. Ernst stated staff has had challenges in getting individuals to accept positions, and 
staff is working with Human Resources to address the issue. 
 
Councilman Robinson thanked staff for the information. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if staff has considered bringing in employees at a level 
below the position description. 
 
Ms. Bays stated the program utilizes interns and helps train them in the profession. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if ASU is the only higher-education organization the 
program works with. 
 
Ms. Bays stated yes. 
 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if any community colleges have students who might be 
interested in assisting with this program.

Ms. Ernst stated yes, and staff is also looking at other schools to provide more 
internship opportunities. 
 
INFORMATION ONLY (ITEMS 5-6)  
 
5. Phoenix Police Department Hiring, Recruitment and Attrition Report 
 
This item is for information only. 
 
6. Fire Staffing and Response Time Update 
 
This item is for information only. 
 
CALL TO THE PUBLIC  
None. 
 
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 
None. 
 
ADJOURNMENT 
Chairwoman O’Brien adjourned the meeting at 11:09 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Chloe Baldwin 
Management Fellow