Are you also eager to discover items that the previous owners left behind when you purchase an old home?
Perhaps they left a chair, a skateboard, or a pan. The future?
But Lisa Kurtz discovered something unexpected at her new house.
She didn’t anticipate to discover a homeless couple living in a little tent on the porch when she moved into her new house in Phoenix, Arizona, last month.
The pair was allowed to live there while it was vacant by the previous owner, who had been renovating the house for a year.
“They requested that they remain on the porch and watch the area. They indicated you’ll likely be asked to leave when the new owner moves in,” Lisa stated.
Lisa, a Ph.D. candidate studying heat and health in Phoenix, was aware of how risky the streets may be, particularly now that summer is rapidly approaching.
“We knew if we moved them on from here, the next place they go is under a bridge or a public park or somewhere that is a lot less safe in the summer,” said Lisa.
So they remained together.
We currently view them as sort of informal roommates. They therefore possess keys and have access to the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms. The only true absence from our possession for them is an additional bedroom, Lisa continued.
However, it was still warm on the porch. So the couple made the decision to erect tarps to provide them with shade and protection from the sun.
They unfortunately ran into trouble with the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department, who said that visible tarps are against the law and must be taken down.
People would typically become irate and disobey the notice. But Lisa went in a different direction.
She was aware that the city was merely attempting to address the homelessness issue and prevent the neighborhood from degenerating into an eyesore. She then took the necessary action.
“I was literally like, OK, there [are] these two separate systems that are interacting, touching, and they’re in conflict with one another, what can we do to resolve that, and get on the same page?” says Lisa.
In actuality, homelessness has long been a problem in the state of Arizona and the city of Phoenix.
Arizona is among the top five US states with a shortage of affordable housing for people living below the poverty line, according to the Phoenix Rescue Mission. Even before and since the pandemic began, homelessness has risen by 58% over the last three years.
As a result, Arizona was the US state with the 12th-highest number of homeless persons.
Additionally, the city is making every effort to help the homeless.
They invest roughly $20 million a year in finding solutions to the issue and provide direct support, such as outreach and engagement for the homeless and emergency shelter, among other things.
But there are far deeper causes behind homelessness than can be addressed by the city alone.
There are numerous factors that cause and exacerbate homelessness rather than just one single cause.
Addiction, job loss, domestic violence, mental health conditions, home loss, and/or grief and despair are some of these causes.
The City of Phoenix appreciated Lisa’s initiative to assist with the issue because of this.
“Working with property owners to resolve issues without issuing citations, whenever possible, is one of the aims of the City’s code enforcement process. We value neighbors who respond to alerts and who wish to work together to help and find solutions to the growing homelessness situation. In a formal statement to Arizona’s Family, the City of Phoenix said, “This property owner has demonstrated initiative and compassion, and we believe that by working together the violations can be addressed without the need to issue a citation.”
The homeless couple is now fortunate to have a supporter thanks to the kind hearts of others they have encountered.
They have even received job interviews as they are now being connected with the resources they require to start over.
Sometimes individuals just need a little break, a little prod, Lisa said.
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