Andrea Deming
Melynda McBride
ENG 102
Helping The Homeless: Whose Problem Is It?
Helping the homeless in Mesa is increasingly becoming a shared responsibility among city government, regional partners, non-profits, faith-based organizations and community residents. Unhoused individuals in Maricopa County rose 3% in 2025, with 9,734 people experiencing homelessness.( Annual Homeless count, MaricopaTrends). The problem is transitioning from a temporary pandemic -era to a long term, regional challenge requiring sustainable solutions. (The Arizona Republic) The responsibility should be viewed as a shared responsibility, involving public funding for shelters and community engagement to support rehabilitation efforts. The city is currently paying $3 million for a program called "Off The Streets" using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay for this program currently at the Windemere Hotel but the funds will run out soon. This essay will explore historical roots of homelessness in Mesa and how city officials and community organizations are debating how to respond to the problem. I will address the negative impacts and the proposal for short term fixes to long term plans for getting a handle on the homelessness crisis in Mesa.
The homelessness problem has been recognized as a growing issue for over a decade, with a significant and fast growing rate occurring around 2014-2015 and again during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020 to present. Although homelessness is not a new thing in the valley, the increased awareness and crisis level numbers is a more recent development. The earlier efforts in addressing the homelessness started in the 1990's creating organizations like the House of Refuge in 1996, following the closure of Williams Air Force Base. The extension of the Light Rail into downtown Mesa in 2014-2015 generated calls to crisis regarding homeless individuals by 230% In 2017-2018 the city started the Community Court Program moving away from the "cite and release" approach. In 2020 the Pandemic caused a significant increase to the homelessness issue in Maricopa County showing high numbers of unsheltered individuals in Mesa alone. The rent increased in 2019 by 46% driving further homelessness. Despite the unsheltered count in specific years the overall demand for services has continued to rise, with 2025 having a 28% jump in unsheltered populations across the county (House of Refuge).
When Covid-19 hit there was a program created called "Off The Streets' that shows the city's efforts to support those experiencing homelessness by providing resources, temporary shelter, and connecting them to other available resources within the community, the program is still operating by Community Bridges at the Windermere Hotel. As of early 2026 The "Off The Streets" program is serving a population of vulnerable residents, including families, veterans, and domestic violence survivors. While the daily occupancy fluctuates as of March 1, 2026 the program has dozens of families, seniors and individuals with a waiting list of about 10-20 families (City of Mesa.org), the program served approximately 820 people in 2024. However the contract is due to end soon and the City of Mesa is still debating if the program will move down the street to the new building known as the Sunair Project.
Homelessness is considered a serious issue because it affects many different groups in the community. People facing homelessness face risks of poor health, lack of safety and limited access to basic services. The problem has become more noticeable as people are living in tents, vehicles and sleeping behind buildings. Residents have raised concerns about public safety, sanitation and the use of public spaces, while advocates for the homeless emphasize the need for compassion and support services. The residents and business owners are concerned about how homelessness impacts their neighborhoods, parks, and public areas. However if the city would quit stalling and follow through with their 2024 commitment and lock in key funding for the Sunair Project this could be the start of a new beginning towards turning around homelessness in Mesa. It won't fix the problem entirely but it would be a start and then maybe others in the community would step up in the same way.
This has to be a group effort not just a faith based organization or charity problem as stated by a city council member recently. The project vote has been postponed to give Dorean Taylor a newly sworn in councilmember time to familiarize herself with the nearly $14 million project. Taylor, who represents the district where the hotel is located, campaigned on concerns about the project and replaced a member who had previously supported it. In a recent hearing Taylor stated she doesn't believe the homeless crisis in Mesa is a city problem, like water, public roads and infrastructures, it's more of a charity problem and faith based organizations issues. "We don't think the city should be in the business of owning and fully funding the operation of the shelter,"she said. Councilwoman Jenn Duff pointed out that the hotels purchased 3 years ago came with "overwhelming support citywide" and that the only opposition came from one neighborhood in the area. The city can provide a structured environment like the Grand Hotel and move the problem from the streets into a controlled system where safety protocols are put in place.
The "Off The Streets" program and the "Sunair Project" has resulted in a mix of successes, financial strain, community pushback and political conflict. However if the city decides to abandon the project now as an emergency shelter they would have to pay back $4 million to Maricopa County and nearly $10 million to the U.S. Treasury. The initial 13.2 million was covered by the federal pandemic relief funds, the annual operating cost of 2.5 million presents a challenge to the city's general fund (The Mesa Tribune) The project has hit resistances from the neighbors and some council members expressing concerns about the locations impact on local property values and quality of life. Others say "At least individuals will be in a shelter instead of lying at surrounding bus stops and in front of businesses and being ticketed or taken to jail for urban camping or "not moving on." The location of the Grand Hotel on East Main Street isn't the best neighborhood already, in fact this project may reduce the transient traffic instead of increasing it. Assistant police chief Don Sterlin agrees that "homelessness" is a complex issue with challenges and stated "but when those behavior impact our public safety, the businesses, the parks,bus stops, light rail, critical infrastructures, enforcement really has to become necessary at that point", he added that addressing homelessness takes a team effort approach and resource allocation, which "is more effective than enforcement alone" "We can't arrest our way out of homelessness", he said .Realistically this project will not fix the problem of homelessness but it will instill trust in those that have lost all hope in getting the help they need.
Staff supported the project by stating it should move to the Sunair while looking for sponsors, grants, and donations to operate it without having to rely solely on the "general fund"., The quick fix to this problem could be to extend the Windemere Hotel lease, currently 85 rooms are being used for the "off The Streets" program which has helped over 1,700 individuals since the program began. An immediate but costly solution to renew the lease while the Sunair project debate continues. Although the current program does not offer meals and solely depends on donations from local churches and other faith based organizations to help with clothing, food donations and toiletry items. Heat reliefs stations, emergency rent and utility assistance programs like MesaCan by New Leaf can assist as well as mobile outreaches like Phoenix Rescue Mission can provide services as well. This is truly a community issue. Everyone needs to come together and do their part in order for this problem to get better starting with the City of Mesa.
The long term solution for the homeless linked to the Sunair project focuses on transforming the site into a permanent city owned transitional housing facility housing the most vulnerable such as families with children , veterans and domestic violence survivors. By owning the property and replacing temporary high costs hotel leases the city can bridge the gap to permanent housing resources and reduce the number of people returning to the streets. The program will provide wrap-around services, such as case management, employment services, mental health care and other resources to achieve self-sufficiency . The project will use federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to remove high cost of leasing weekly hotel rooms like the Windemere, creating a more cost effective model. The project is meant to improve public safety by providing a structured, secure environment with 24/7 on site security and police engagement, which allows for legal enforcement of urban camping laws when beds are available (City Of Mesa.org).
Mark Freeman recommended making no decision at this point allowing staff members to look at other options. "I'm not in favor of transitioning into Sunair at this time until we have everything buttoned up" he said "It's not an emergency situation to shift gears and go right into Sunair". In the end the debate between the Sunair project and the "Off the Streets" program reflects a major turning point for Mesa and its community. As the pandemic funds run out, the city is forced to decide if the homelessness in their city is just a "nuisance" problem that should solely be managed by charities and non-profit organizations or as a permanent part of their city's infrastructure. While some council members argue that the city "shouldn't be in the business of housing . (Dorean Taylor) The reality of it is the city is already paying the price, whether its federal funding, or the costs of police enforcement, or the impact of public spaces, Mesa is already invested.
As the assistant police chief stated, we cannot simply " arrest our way out" of the crisis. Moving away from the expensive temporary solution like renting rooms from the Windemere Hotel , into a city owned facility isn't a humanitarian choice but a logical one. It will provide a structured solution, necessary to maintain public safety while helping the most vulnerable populations to a path of self-sufficiency.
Homelessness in Mesa is a complex regional challenge that no single church, charity, or nonprofit can solve all by itself. In the end the city needs to stop stalling and fulfill its 2024 promise by securing long term funding and start leaning on a combination of public resources and compassions from the community that are willing to help. Mesa can turn away from the "quick fixes" and turn towards a more sustainable solution if they would just simply "act". It may not be a perfect solution but it's better than what they're doing now, and it could restore hope in those that are in the street who call Mesa their home.
Works Cited
Melynda McBride
ENG 102
Helping The Homeless: Whose Problem Is It?
Helping the homeless in Mesa is increasingly becoming a shared responsibility among city government, regional partners, non-profits, faith-based organizations and community residents. Unhoused individuals in Maricopa County rose 3% in 2025, with 9,734 people experiencing homelessness.( Annual Homeless count, MaricopaTrends). The problem is transitioning from a temporary pandemic -era to a long term, regional challenge requiring sustainable solutions. (The Arizona Republic) The responsibility should be viewed as a shared responsibility, involving public funding for shelters and community engagement to support rehabilitation efforts. The city is currently paying $3 million for a program called "Off The Streets" using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay for this program currently at the Windemere Hotel but the funds will run out soon. This essay will explore historical roots of homelessness in Mesa and how city officials and community organizations are debating how to respond to the problem. I will address the negative impacts and the proposal for short term fixes to long term plans for getting a handle on the homelessness crisis in Mesa.
The homelessness problem has been recognized as a growing issue for over a decade, with a significant and fast growing rate occurring around 2014-2015 and again during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020 to present. Although homelessness is not a new thing in the valley, the increased awareness and crisis level numbers is a more recent development. The earlier efforts in addressing the homelessness started in the 1990's creating organizations like the House of Refuge in 1996, following the closure of Williams Air Force Base. The extension of the Light Rail into downtown Mesa in 2014-2015 generated calls to crisis regarding homeless individuals by 230% In 2017-2018 the city started the Community Court Program moving away from the "cite and release" approach. In 2020 the Pandemic caused a significant increase to the homelessness issue in Maricopa County showing high numbers of unsheltered individuals in Mesa alone. The rent increased in 2019 by 46% driving further homelessness. Despite the unsheltered count in specific years the overall demand for services has continued to rise, with 2025 having a 28% jump in unsheltered populations across the county (House of Refuge).
When Covid-19 hit there was a program created called "Off The Streets' that shows the city's efforts to support those experiencing homelessness by providing resources, temporary shelter, and connecting them to other available resources within the community, the program is still operating by Community Bridges at the Windermere Hotel. As of early 2026 The "Off The Streets" program is serving a population of vulnerable residents, including families, veterans, and domestic violence survivors. While the daily occupancy fluctuates as of March 1, 2026 the program has dozens of families, seniors and individuals with a waiting list of about 10-20 families (City of Mesa.org), the program served approximately 820 people in 2024. However the contract is due to end soon and the City of Mesa is still debating if the program will move down the street to the new building known as the Sunair Project.
Homelessness is considered a serious issue because it affects many different groups in the community. People facing homelessness face risks of poor health, lack of safety and limited access to basic services. The problem has become more noticeable as people are living in tents, vehicles and sleeping behind buildings. Residents have raised concerns about public safety, sanitation and the use of public spaces, while advocates for the homeless emphasize the need for compassion and support services. The residents and business owners are concerned about how homelessness impacts their neighborhoods, parks, and public areas. However if the city would quit stalling and follow through with their 2024 commitment and lock in key funding for the Sunair Project this could be the start of a new beginning towards turning around homelessness in Mesa. It won't fix the problem entirely but it would be a start and then maybe others in the community would step up in the same way.
This has to be a group effort not just a faith based organization or charity problem as stated by a city council member recently. The project vote has been postponed to give Dorean Taylor a newly sworn in councilmember time to familiarize herself with the nearly $14 million project. Taylor, who represents the district where the hotel is located, campaigned on concerns about the project and replaced a member who had previously supported it. In a recent hearing Taylor stated she doesn't believe the homeless crisis in Mesa is a city problem, like water, public roads and infrastructures, it's more of a charity problem and faith based organizations issues. "We don't think the city should be in the business of owning and fully funding the operation of the shelter,"she said. Councilwoman Jenn Duff pointed out that the hotels purchased 3 years ago came with "overwhelming support citywide" and that the only opposition came from one neighborhood in the area. The city can provide a structured environment like the Grand Hotel and move the problem from the streets into a controlled system where safety protocols are put in place.
The "Off The Streets" program and the "Sunair Project" has resulted in a mix of successes, financial strain, community pushback and political conflict. However if the city decides to abandon the project now as an emergency shelter they would have to pay back $4 million to Maricopa County and nearly $10 million to the U.S. Treasury. The initial 13.2 million was covered by the federal pandemic relief funds, the annual operating cost of 2.5 million presents a challenge to the city's general fund (The Mesa Tribune) The project has hit resistances from the neighbors and some council members expressing concerns about the locations impact on local property values and quality of life. Others say "At least individuals will be in a shelter instead of lying at surrounding bus stops and in front of businesses and being ticketed or taken to jail for urban camping or "not moving on." The location of the Grand Hotel on East Main Street isn't the best neighborhood already, in fact this project may reduce the transient traffic instead of increasing it. Assistant police chief Don Sterlin agrees that "homelessness" is a complex issue with challenges and stated "but when those behavior impact our public safety, the businesses, the parks,bus stops, light rail, critical infrastructures, enforcement really has to become necessary at that point", he added that addressing homelessness takes a team effort approach and resource allocation, which "is more effective than enforcement alone" "We can't arrest our way out of homelessness", he said .Realistically this project will not fix the problem of homelessness but it will instill trust in those that have lost all hope in getting the help they need.
Staff supported the project by stating it should move to the Sunair while looking for sponsors, grants, and donations to operate it without having to rely solely on the "general fund"., The quick fix to this problem could be to extend the Windemere Hotel lease, currently 85 rooms are being used for the "off The Streets" program which has helped over 1,700 individuals since the program began. An immediate but costly solution to renew the lease while the Sunair project debate continues. Although the current program does not offer meals and solely depends on donations from local churches and other faith based organizations to help with clothing, food donations and toiletry items. Heat reliefs stations, emergency rent and utility assistance programs like MesaCan by New Leaf can assist as well as mobile outreaches like Phoenix Rescue Mission can provide services as well. This is truly a community issue. Everyone needs to come together and do their part in order for this problem to get better starting with the City of Mesa.
The long term solution for the homeless linked to the Sunair project focuses on transforming the site into a permanent city owned transitional housing facility housing the most vulnerable such as families with children , veterans and domestic violence survivors. By owning the property and replacing temporary high costs hotel leases the city can bridge the gap to permanent housing resources and reduce the number of people returning to the streets. The program will provide wrap-around services, such as case management, employment services, mental health care and other resources to achieve self-sufficiency . The project will use federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to remove high cost of leasing weekly hotel rooms like the Windemere, creating a more cost effective model. The project is meant to improve public safety by providing a structured, secure environment with 24/7 on site security and police engagement, which allows for legal enforcement of urban camping laws when beds are available (City Of Mesa.org).
Mark Freeman recommended making no decision at this point allowing staff members to look at other options. "I'm not in favor of transitioning into Sunair at this time until we have everything buttoned up" he said "It's not an emergency situation to shift gears and go right into Sunair". In the end the debate between the Sunair project and the "Off the Streets" program reflects a major turning point for Mesa and its community. As the pandemic funds run out, the city is forced to decide if the homelessness in their city is just a "nuisance" problem that should solely be managed by charities and non-profit organizations or as a permanent part of their city's infrastructure. While some council members argue that the city "shouldn't be in the business of housing . (Dorean Taylor) The reality of it is the city is already paying the price, whether its federal funding, or the costs of police enforcement, or the impact of public spaces, Mesa is already invested.
As the assistant police chief stated, we cannot simply " arrest our way out" of the crisis. Moving away from the expensive temporary solution like renting rooms from the Windemere Hotel , into a city owned facility isn't a humanitarian choice but a logical one. It will provide a structured solution, necessary to maintain public safety while helping the most vulnerable populations to a path of self-sufficiency.
Homelessness in Mesa is a complex regional challenge that no single church, charity, or nonprofit can solve all by itself. In the end the city needs to stop stalling and fulfill its 2024 promise by securing long term funding and start leaning on a combination of public resources and compassions from the community that are willing to help. Mesa can turn away from the "quick fixes" and turn towards a more sustainable solution if they would just simply "act". It may not be a perfect solution but it's better than what they're doing now, and it could restore hope in those that are in the street who call Mesa their home.
Works Cited
