SB1581 - 552R - Senate Fact Sheet

Purpose

Allows the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) to distribute grants to a municipality or county to establish a sanctioned camping site for homeless individuals. Appropriates $50,000,000 from monies allocated to Arizona from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to ADOH.

Background

ADOH is responsible for establishing policies, procedures and programs to address the affordable issues in the state that includes housing issues for: 1) low-income and moderate-income families; 2) housing affordability; 3) special needs population; and 4) decaying housing stock (A.R.S. § 41-3953).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Allows ADOH to disburse grants to a municipality or county to establish a sanctioned camping site for homeless individuals.

2. Requires a municipality or county and the sanctioned camping site, in order to be eligible to receive a grant, to comply with the following:

a) provide sanitary facilities, potable water and on-site security and implement a progressive engagement case management model;

b) be integrated into the local coordinated entry system for homeless services;

c) set low barriers to entry for individuals experiencing homelessness;

d) allow homeless individuals to camp and store personal property in areas designated by the operator of the sanctioned camping site; and

e) establish rules for the safety of the residents and allows an individual to be removed for a violation of these rules.

3. Prohibits any grant that is distributed to a municipality or county or nonprofit organization from being continued if the municipality or county refuses to enforce ordinances in place that prohibit sleeping and camping in public places that are not designated as sanctioned camping sites.

4. Allows ADOH to disburse grant monies to a nonprofit organization to establish or support homeless outreach teams.

5. Requires a homeless outreach team to:

a) be composed of law enforcement officers, contracted off-duty law enforcement officers or contracted security officers and social service and mental health professionals;

b) work to move individuals that are sleeping and camping in public or private places not fit for human habitation into homeless services, shelters or sanctioned camping sites; and

c) enforce all state and local laws banning camping and sleeping in public and implement policies to move homeless individuals through drug or mental health courts, whenever possible.

6. Stipulates that any grant to a nonprofit organization for establishing or supporting homeless outreach teams is contingent on the nonprofit organization entering into an agreement with the local jurisdiction's law enforcement agency to establish a homeless outreach team.

7. Asserts a municipality, county or designated operator of the sanctioned camping site is not liable in any civil action that arises out of the operation of the sanctioned camping site unless the claim involves intentional or grossly negligent conduct.

8. Appropriates $50,000,000 from ARPA to ADOH in FY 2023 and allocates the appropriation as follows:

a) $30,000,000 to municipalities or counties to establish sanctioned camping sites for homeless individuals; and

b) $20,000,000 to nonprofit organizations to establish or support homeless outreach teams.

9. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing.

10. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by Committee

1. Removes the inclusion of a mental health or substance abuse evaluation in the rules for the sanctioned camping sites.

2. Adds contracted off-duty law enforcement officers to the individuals who can serve on the homeless outreach teams.

Senate Action

APPROP 2/22/22 DPA/SE 9-1-0