At HSC, the problems we face are real and the challenges daunting. But, we also know that homelessness can not only be alleviated; it can also be prevented—and ultimately—eradicated. The solution lies in providing individuals and families with the comprehensive array of support services they need to reclaim their independence and sense of purpose. "Helping others to help themselves” is not just our mission statement. It's the cause we embrace and our source of inspiration. We invite you to join us in this important work.

A Look Back: Homelessness in Maricopa County

Twenty-five years ago, widespread homelessness did not exist in Maricopa County. This began to change in the early 1980s, when the move to "de-institutionalize" the mentally ill coincided with a sharp reduction in affordable housing.

A growing population of chronically homeless men and women began to populate the streets of downtown Phoenix and communities across the Valley. These individuals typically suffered from multiple problems, including drug and alcohol abuse, serious mental illness, untreated medical conditions, lack of education and a corresponding inability to find and retain employment.

Criminals and drug dealers were quick to exploit opportunities to prey upon this vulnerable population, creating unsafe conditions for everyone in the area. Inevitably, central Phoenix devolved into a "homeless zone" of run-down abandoned buildings, high crime and hopelessness.

Although government agencies, nonprofit organizations, religious groups and community advocates reached out to the homeless, their programs and services were largely uncoordinated. As a result, homelessness was addressed in a piecemeal fashion.

Individuals were sent from one agency to the next, often falling through cracks in the system and landing back on the streets. Clearly, a new approach was needed.

Redevelopment is the Catalyst for Change

The plan to revitalize the blighted multi-block area called “The Zone,” located between the downtown Phoenix core and the State Capitol Mall, would prove to be the catalyst for addressing the homeless problem in a comprehensive and coordinated way.

Maricopa County government leaders recognized that new businesses and residents would be hesitant to locate adjacent to this homeless zone, threatening the project's likelihood of success. Yet, they were also unwilling to defer the problem to others by driving the homeless population out of the zone into an adjacent neighborhood. Instead, county leaders resolved to build a coalition of public entities, nonprofits and downtown businesses to collectively address the problem and share the resulting benefits. This strategy proved to be both visionary and transformational. The result was a unique public/private partnership with a shared commitment to ending chronic homelessness in the Valley of the Sun.

The Human Services Campus is Born

The coalition launched a successful campaign to raise $25 million in capital to cover the costs of constructing HSC on a 13 acre parcel of land at the western edge of the downtown area. This included parcels donated by Maricopa County and the City of Phoenix, as well as private land purchased by the county.

In October 2005, Maricopa County’s Capital Facilities Department completed Phase I of the project, which included four buildings housing an emergency shelter beds, dining facilities, a health clinic offering primary care, a dental clinic and multi-agency resource center. The Human Services Campus formally opened its doors in November 2005. Phase II, completed in 2007, added additional facilities and programming for homeless individuals coping with serious mental illness.

The overarching strategy for the project was to bring together a comprehensive set of resources and support services for homeless men, women and families within a single facility. This innovative approach would build upon a platform of existing organizations to deliver the continuum of care homeless individuals need to restore their health, independence and self-sufficiency.

Five agencies that had collectively rendered more than 100 years of service to serving the homeless agreed to become HSC's founding members, including:

• Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc. (CASS)
• Maricopa County Health Care for the Homeless
• NOVA Safe Haven
• St. Joseph the Worker
• St. Vincent de Paul

Historically, these agencies had always operated autonomously and with limited interaction. Upon relocating to HSC, they adopted a new operating philosophy that emphasized close collaboration in delivering services attuned to each client's particular situation and needs. This was reflected in the decision to form a nonprofit, limited liability corporation charged with managing the campus common areas and the new Lodestar Day Resource Center, created to serve as the hub of the Campus.

Today, HSC is considered a national model for collaborative community solutions that leverage nonprofit, government, private, faith-based and community organizations to revitalize communities and eradicate homelessness. The 13-acre Campus is known worldwide as the only site in the world dedicated to serving the homeless not only by providing them with shelter and safety, but also by empowering them to improve their lives and move beyond poverty and despair.

The HSC has been visited by dignitaries from all around the world searching for solutions to their own challenges with the condition of homelessness.

In June, 2008, the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (NHCH) held there convention in Phoenix. One of the draws for the NHCH was the newly built Human Services Campus. There were 4, one hour tours of 20-30 people daily over the span of the three day conference. Many of the delegates were in awe of the co-location of the agencies on the campus.

In April, 2009, the Shanghai Women’s Federation came to tour the campus, and have requested an ongoing relationship with the campus to share best practices.