Uncertain fate of vulnerable homeless residents as huge camp faces clearance after neighbor lawsuit.

A judge has ruled in favor of neighbors who sued the city of Phoenix, calling the homeless encampment known as the Zone an illegal "public nuisance." As Phoenix officials prepare to clear the area, advocates for the unhoused worry that it simply pushes a critical problem out of public view. Phoenix officials are scrambling to create safe options for the displaced, but those won't be available right away. The Phoenix area has roughly half as many shelter beds as people experiencing homelessness, a population that's grown 46% since 2019 amid the affordable housing crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.