This bill amends Arizona law to establish new requirements for cities and towns with over 75 individuals experiencing homelessness, as identified in the 2024 point-in-time homelessness count. Specifically, these municipalities must provide at least one shelter bed for every four individuals experiencing homelessness and establish a judicial diversion program for these individuals. The judicial diversion program is designed to assist those experiencing homelessness or mental illness in resolving minor legal fees without duplicating existing homeless court programs.

Additionally, the bill creates a homeless shelter and services fund, which will be administered by the Arizona Department of Housing. This fund will be continuously appropriated and used to award grants to various entities for programs aimed at providing shelter and services to individuals experiencing homelessness. The bill emphasizes the importance of tracking performance data and reporting on the demographics of individuals served, as well as appropriating funds from the state general fund for the fiscal year 2025-2026 to support these initiatives.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-500.52, 41-3958, 22-601