In July 2025, the Tempe City Council held an almost eight-hour-long meeting listening to over 90 complaints about a proposed park ordinance and how it could affect different groups in the community. At around 1:30 a.m., the council unanimously voted to approve the ordinance despite the public’s dismay only to rescind the ordinance weeks later.
Now, the city has proposed several new changes to the city code and drafted a new ordinance that would change process time, fees and provisions regarding alcohol and noise as well as how often groups can use the parks for organized activities.
Mutual aid groups like AZ Hugs, run by Austin Davis, aren’t thrilled with the proposed changes to the code and say that this is personal to the group, and that the ordinance feels targeted at AZ Hugs and the homeless community in the Valley that often come to Tempe for their nightly meal.