Phoenix must pay over $220,000 in 'The Zone' homeless encampment lawsuit

By Kirsten Dorman
Published: Monday, November 20, 2023 - 2:29pm
Updated: Monday, November 20, 2023 - 6:23pm

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Zone cleared
Katherine Davis-Young/KJZZ
Eleventh Avenue in downtown Phoenix was once densely packed with tents and makeshift shelters in "The Zone."

Earlier this month, the City of Phoenix cleared the last blocks of what used to be its largest homeless encampment near downtown, known as "The Zone."

It was a race against the clock to comply with a Superior Court judge’s order, which stated that the area created a public nuisance the city is responsible for.

The latest order, signed Sunday, states that the city will foot the bill for the local business and property owners that brought the suit, to the tune of more than $220,000.

The city is also responsible for maintaining public property there. That means keeping the area free of tents, hazardous materials like human waste or drug paraphernalia, and anyone committing crimes like disorderly conduct.

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