Phoenix officials ask judge for more time in clearing downtown camp of homeless people

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Top Stories

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. clear out / klɪər aʊt / (phrasal v.) – to empty or tidy a place by removing things, sometimes people, that shouldn’t be there
    Example:

    Due to the approaching typhoon, authorities had to clear out the people living in flood-prone areas.


  2. explode / ɪkˈsploʊd / (v.) – to increase quickly or rapidly
    Example:

    Prices of goods have exploded after the pandemic.


  3. criminalize / ˈkrɪm ə nlˌaɪz / (v.) – to officially declare that someone’s action or behavior is illegal
    Example:

    The government recently criminalized drinking alcohol in public places.


  4. unhoused / ʌnˈhoʊzd / (adj.) – having no house to live in
    Example:

    There’s an organization that builds houses for unhoused families.


  5. contempt / kənˈtɛmpt / (n.) – the crime of not showing respect to a court or judge, usually by not following an order
    Example:

    The company was guilty of contempt for not releasing the documents asked by the court.


Article

Read the text below.

Phoenix city officials said they have been slowly and steadily clearing hundreds of people from a downtown encampment of homeless people called “The Zone,” and they asked a judge for more time to clear out the remaining hundreds still living there.


About a year ago, as many as 1,000 people lived in the tent city that exploded in size during the COVID-19 pandemic. City officials say up to 300 people have since left the site under efforts launched in late 2022 to get them into shelters, or into temporary or permanent housing. Area shelters are typically full.


Representing Phoenix, attorney Justin Pierce told Judge Scott Blaney that much progress has been made since March, when the court ordered Phoenix to lessen the public nuisance the encampment created. Deputy City Manager Gina Montes testified that Phoenix has now identified a property for a structured camping site with bathrooms and showers for those without housing, which it hopes to open by summer’s end.


Attorneys for area business owners and residents said the city is taking too long and is not doing enough. Blaney said he would issue a decision within 60 days and asked both sides to file their findings and conclusions with the court on Aug. 11. This civil suit is one of two facing Phoenix.


Like several other major cities, Phoenix has been challenged to balance the concerns of businesses and homeowners with the rights of homeless people. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2019 that homeless people cannot be criminalized for sleeping outside if no alternatives exist.


The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona argued in a federal lawsuit that the city is violating the constitutional rights of unhoused people by slowly clearing the area. However, U.S. District Court Judge G. Murray Snow declined the ACLU’s request in May to declare Phoenix in contempt of a ruling he issued in December and said he would not bar the city from further cleanups at the encampment site pending another hearing.


 This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Why do you think Phoenix city officials cannot quickly clear out the homeless people living in the encampment (ex. due to lack of alternative housing, legal considerations)? Discuss.
  • Why do you think Phoenix has been challenged to balance the concerns of businesses and homeowners with the rights of homeless people? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Why do you think the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2019 that homeless people cannot be criminalized for sleeping outside if no alternatives exist? What do you think are the pros and cons of this ruling (ex. pro: protection of human rights, con: public safety concerns)? Discuss.
  • Do you think governments can totally solve the problem of homelessness? Why or why not? Discuss.