PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 With triple-digit temperatures expected all week, nonprofits across the Valley are stepping up to help people living on the street. <\/p>\n
People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable and most likely to suffer heat-related illness. For years, local organizations have provided medical care and distributed food and water in Phoenix city parks, but a new city ordinance is changing how that aid can be delivered<\/a>. <\/p>\n The heat is already raising concern heading into summer, and critics say the new rules could make it harder to reach people who need help most.<\/p>\n Cameron Trombetta spends a lot of time at Encanto Park<\/a> with his family. <\/p>\n \u201cWe go to the park five to seven times a week,\u201d Trombetta said. \u201cSo the kids can go around, they can see and explore, play at the playgrounds.\u201d<\/p>\n When the heat becomes too much, Trombetta\u2019s family can head home, but he said he knows not everyone has that option. <\/p>\n \u201cA human is a human at the end of the day,\u201d Trombetta said.<\/p>\n As families enjoy the park, people experiencing homelessness often look for shaded areas to escape the sun. Many rely on nonprofits for basic services, including medical treatment. That support will be limited soon. <\/p>\n The Phoenix City Council voted 6-3 to pass an ordinance that allows two permits per month, per park, for organizations to provide medical services and distribute food and water. Supporters of the ordinance say it addresses safety concerns and will help keep parks cleaner and more welcoming for families.<\/p>\n Others, including Kim Despres with Circle the City<\/a>, say the ordinance will worsen public health outcomes during extreme heat. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think Phoenix will be safer. It will be sicker,\u201d Despres said. \u201cThe people are going to really struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n Circle the City operates mobile units that provide medical care to people experiencing homelessness. Despres said the ordinance would also make it illegal in city parks to exchange or distribute needles.<\/p>\n With dangerously high temperatures already here, Despres said the organization is working through new options to reach people who are sheltering in parks. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to find a way to get to the people in the parks,\u201d Despres said. \u201cSo we might have to hire more people \u2026 to get people to come out of the parks and transport them somewhere. That will certainly be an extra cost.\u201d<\/p>\n Trombetta said he understands the city\u2019s intent, but believes the ordinance goes too far. <\/p>\n \u201cWe never run into any issues at the parks we go to,\u201d Trombetta said. \u201cI understand sometimes it can be a nuisance \u2026 but we\u2019ve got to use morals here.\u201d <\/p>\n He called the ordinance \u201ca death sentence\u201d for people who depend on outreach services during the hottest months of the year.<\/p>\n Despres said the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and the Office of Homeless Solutions are bringing organizations together to collaborate and find a new plan. <\/p>\n The ordinance is scheduled to take effect June 5, and organizations say the timing is critical as Phoenix faces another stretch of triple-digit heat.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n