Tackling Homelessness in Arizona featuring Tom Simplot

Homelessness – and the provision of related services – has evolved into a substantial economic sector. While services are primarily provided by nonprofits, funding starts at the federal level and flows from federal, state, and local grantors into the nonprofit space. The funding and services are distributed through a vast national network of local nonprofit organizations, with Arizona alone hosting as many as 167 such entities. CSI estimates that the total nonprofit workforce dedicated to alleviating homelessness in Arizona is as high as 51,000 employees and volunteers. For context, the state’s largest private organization employs about 45,000 people.

CSI estimates that statewide spending in Arizona is approximately $933 million to $1.1 billion annually on shelter, treatment, food, and other support services for people experiencing homelessness. According to the latest Point-in-Time counts, today there are more than 14,000 (Estimate 1, Appendix B) people experiencing homelessness in Arizona, and another 9,600 estimated to be in Permanent Supportive Housing. You can find our full report on the topic, titled Homelessness Spending Tops $1 Billion in Arizona here.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, our Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Tim Simplot, former director of the Arizona Department of Housing unpack the issues many complexities ranging from a myopic focus on "housing first" to challenges for law enforcement. Homelessness is a prominent issue in Arizona, and the causes of and solutions to it are varied and hotly debated. This episode aims to bring some clarity to the issue. 

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Tom Simplot is former director of the Arizona Department of Housing and a longtime member of the Phoenix City Council. Tom’s career in housing has spanned several decades as an attorney, former real estate agent and former owner of affordable rental properties in Arizona. Tom is also past president of the Maricopa County Board of Health and the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority.