By Jessica Boehm | Arizona Republic
The Phoenix metro area is facing a cataclysmic combination of issues surrounding housing.
Last year, the state counted 10,000 Arizonans experiencing homelessness, 6,200 of whom were living in Maricopa County.
The county’s population of people experiencing street homelessness increased 149 percent between 2014-2018. The percentages of individuals experiencing homelessness who also have a serious mental illness or are over the age of 62 are also on the rise.
At the same time, the region is seeing rapidly-increasing housing prices and fewer affordable options.