Judge denies Phoenix ask for more time to clean up homeless encampment

The City of Phoenix attempted to buy time after being ordered to clean up a large homeless encampment in downtown Phoenix known as "The Zone," but a judge denied their request.

Phoenix wanted to get rid of the court-imposed July 10 deadline, and they made the argument that it wasn't enough time to handle the situation effectively.

"The city respectfully asks the Court to stay enforcement while the appeal is pending given the significance of issues raised and the far-reaching implications of the Order, both in legal and humanitarian terms."

The city said that while they "share the Court's concerns, the City must retain discretion to create shelter, heat relief, and public service programs without the burdens of a judicially imposed cleanup" amid the upcoming extreme heat, they said in a court document filed in Maricopa County Superior Court last week.

However, the court said the city "has not established good cause for a stay of the Preliminary Injunction."

Still, the city planned to begin cleaning out the area on May 10, 12 News reported last week.

UPDATE Maricopa County judge refuses to lift July 10 deadline for City of Phoenix to show "material results" on Zone cleanup. pic.twitter.com/Z7he90ZEFm— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) May 1, 2023

"The Zone" has hundreds of homeless individuals living in poor conditions. The city was ordered in late March by Judge Scott Blaney to take action due to a lawsuit, dubbing the encampment a "public nuisance."