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How Phoenix's deep cleaning in 'The Zone' encampment is holding up one week later

12News crews witnessed sidewalks that are still pretty clear and the ground less littered compared to nearby blocks that weren’t cleaned, but waste is still visible.

PHOENIX — It’s as simple as a tree for Christina Clemmons to add some flare to a bleak situation.

"We get so much Colgate and stuff," she said, referring to the packaged toothbrushes decorating her three-foot fake tree at the front of her encampment space in downtown Phoenix.

She said she’s stayed at the corner of 12th Avenue and Madison with her boyfriend for the past few months, a spot in the heart of "The Zone," Phoenix's largest homeless encampment.  

Earlier this month, more than 800 people were estimated to be sleeping on the streets of the encampment, just blocks away from the state capitol.

"I like it out here," Clemmons shared. "I don’t know if I’ll ever leave. Unless they kick us out."

Deep cleaning 'The Zone'

12News first interviewed Clemmons last week as crews with the City of Phoenix performed an "enhanced cleaning" trial on the block of Madison Street between 12th and 13th avenues. 

The cleaning trial came amid controversy as the city faced dueling lawsuits over conditions in "The Zone."

In one case, property owners are suing the city, claiming it's not doing enough to keep conditions safe and clean in the downtown encampment. The other lawsuit, filed by the ACLU, claims the city's cleaning plan could violate the rights of those living on the streets.

Last week, a federal judge in the ACLU's case gave the green light for the city to move forward with this cleaning trial, so long as crews didn’t destroy property without holding it for at least 30 days.

During the cleaning trial last Friday, the city and other contracted crews helped people move their tents and belongings before coming in and cleaning and clearing any trash left behind.  

Crews only focused on Madison Street between 12th and 13th avenues for this cleaning trial.

"As you can see, it’s maintained pretty clean," Clemmons said.

A week later, 12News returned to the block to see how conditions looked. The sidewalks are still pretty clear and the ground less littered compared to nearby blocks that weren’t cleaned, although trash had started to accumulate around some tent spaces.

12News crews also noticed an encampment that appeared to be burned out - a growing problem the city's faced this season as people on the street light fires to try and cook or keep warm in their encampments.

"It’s a start, but we can really do better," said Mischa Scott.

Scott and her group Gurl Get Up were out Friday morning passing out blankets. They estimated giving away more than 150 blankets.

The City of Phoenix discourages people from passing out goods to people on the street over concerns of more trash build-up.  Instead, they encourage people to donate or work with partners like the Human Services Campus rather than provide on their own.

Despite that, Scott said she's not stopping, recognizing needs every time she comes out to help.

"Everybody could be a paycheck and a half away from this," she said. "So what can we do differently so this won’t be somebody else’s reality?"

During the cleaning process last Friday, the city said it placed more than 30 people on the block into available shelter space.  As you walk up that part of Madison Street, you can even see empty spaces where people now sheltered used to sleep. But not everyone was willing to leave the block that's become home.  

"I think if they want shelter space that’s an awesome opportunity for them," Clemmons shared.

Clemmons said she chose to return to the street after staging for the cleaning.

"I self-medicate and it’s a lot easier for me to be on the streets than in regular society," she said.

Clean-up controversy

Under the city's "enhanced cleaning" trial plan, if a property is taped off during the cleaning, it will remain taped off for seven days unless someone returns.  

If no one claims the property after seven days, it will be moved to the Human Services Campus and secured for 30 more days, where people will be able to come and claim it.

The city’s deep cleanings in "The Zone" before this year are under investigation, in part, by the Department of Justice, over accusations they were trashing important items like IDs or birth certificates.

Those cleanings were halted in January 2022. The big differences in the trial cleaning 11 months later are the smaller work area and storage options where people can reclaim their belongings.

The city says it plans to do more of these "enhanced cleanings" but hasn’t set a date yet.

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