Phoenix city officials open West Valley shelter ahead of summer heat

PHOENIX — A new 280-bed shelter opened in the West Valley just before summer to provide refuge for people experiencing homelessness.

The Phoenix Navigation Center opened ahead of scorching temperatures to give unsheltered people access to cool indoor shelter. The new center is located at 11 S. 71st Ave. near 67th Avenue and Van Buren Street.

It’s the 10th shelter the city of Phoenix has helped open since 2022 and is part of its continued efforts to address homelessness, according to a Wednesday news release from the city of Phoenix.

“We’re committed to helping individuals who want to end their homelessness, and this center will navigate them to the right path,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in the press release. “Aside from sheltering them from the upcoming heat, the center will provide opportunities for employment, mental and physical health care and case management to keep them on track.”

Details on city of Phoenix West Valley shelter

The shelter is made up of 200 dorm-style beds for men and women. Shipping containers were converted into 80 private beds, making the shelter the first of its kind. The facility was designed to help people stay out of homelessness by offering services such as meals, personal storage, housing assistance and access to mental and medical services.

“Over the past three years, Phoenix has been a leader in adding hundreds of critically needed shelter beds to our region and this project brings services to an area where they didn’t exist before,” Phoenix Homeless Solutions Director Rachel Milne said. “We know we need to meet people where they are and ensure that people across our city have access to safe spaces and opportunities to end their homelessness.”

The center opened in response to the high number of unsheltered people in Maricopa County. The funding for the Phoenix Navigation Center came from the Arizona Department of Housing and from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Additionally, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors awarded a $7.5 million grant to the Phoenix Office of Homeless Solutions.

Since 2021, the county invested more than $100 million to address homelessness across the state.

The funding for the Phoenix Navigation Center came from the Arizona Department of Housing and from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Two nonprofit groups, Community Bridges Inc. and St. Vincent de Paul, are partnering with the city to help run the new shelter. The St. Vincent de Paul Neighborhood Brigade program will offer prompt employment opportunities for shelter residents as well as access to job skills.

Residents can call a 24-hour hotline to report any concerns, and the facility will have 24/7 security. Residents must receive a referral in order to stay at the shelter.

The city committed to remain connected to nearby residents and business owners to help contribute to the community.

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