Sedona Safe Place to Park

This page attempts to provide resources to all the known facts about this program as well as direct folks to important community conversations about the program, and to provide some information about the larger context that led to this program being proposed.

If you have an issue or question you would like addressed, please email info@sedonaresidentsunite.com and we will attempt to get a response added to this page.

UPDATE: This project is current on hold pending the outcome of an official referendum petition. See Citizen Starts Referendum Petition below for more information and how you can participate in a very important function of democracy by reviewing and possibly signing the petition.

About Safe Place To Park

The Safe Place to Park project is a proposed city service targeting those who work in our community and have had to resort to living in their vehicles, in large measure due to Airbnb conversions of long-term rentals.  

Quick Facts

Quick Links

Table of Contents

Top Issues

Updated March 28th, 2024

Full Details

Intent Is For Worker Stability

Safe Place to Park provides stability for the worker. Participants will pay a minimal fee and will be able to pay for an extended period of time (weeks ahead), so that they know there is a space reserved for them at the end of the work day.

Safe Place to Park will provide a safe place for them to park at night and have basic amenities – bathroom, shower, drinking water.  Shower trailer, portable restrooms and waste containers will be provided for basic hygiene, which will reduce impacts of vehicular homelessness on public facilities, residents, local businesses and the national forest. No open fires will be allowed.

State Grant Funded

The program is being paid for by a grant for up to two years (grant period ends June 2026) providing up to $875,638 for two years of operations. (source)

See also the Grant agreement with AZ Department of Housing.

Limited Scope

This project can’t continue after that time because that site is being positioned for redevelopment and the zoning changes that was voted in by the council reverts after two years.

Up to 40 spaces will be available.  The program has no plan to grow beyond 40 spaces but this is up to the discretion of the city council.

Operating Hours

The site will only be open at night.  All participants are required to exit in the morning by 8 am.  Drive in nightly/drive out daily, leaving nothing behind. 

No Permanent Footprint

No encampments. No set-up is allowed, no tents. This is for people living in their operable motor vehicles. When exiting each day, nothing can be left behind.

There will be no pavement or permanent structures installed for the project. All site “infrastructure” will be mobile, natural, repurposed, or planned to be repurposed (except for maybe the signage).

Pre-registration Required

All applicants must pre-registered.  They cannot just show up at the site and ask to come in. They must fill out an application.

For Sedona Workers

Applicants must work in Sedona or have a connection to Sedona to qualify for the program. Seasonal workers, those who chose to live homeless as lifestyle choice are NOT eligible for program. Families with children in school must have one working parent. Applicants must have goal to leave the program and relocate into affordable housing. 

Otherwise an applicant must demonstrate a verifiable connection to Sedona (recent home address).  

Applicants must also provide proof of auto insurance and vehicle registration.

The full eligibility requirements are here.

Monitored And Controlled

It will be staffed by an experienced site manager – the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition staff are trained and effective.  This is the same organization that runs the Cottonwood emergency overnight shelter – a very successful program.   

A site manager will be on site during all open hours and gates will be locked during the day. The Verde Valley Homeless Coalition will provide staff to manage the site and connect participants to housing and supportive services.

https://www.sedonaaz.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/51069/638454255382600000/#page=328

10,500 is budgeted for cameras on page 221 of the packet for the March 12th 2024 City Council meeting where the zoning change was approved.

Video cameras may be used to monitor the site to support safety and security.

https://www.sedonaaz.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/51069/638454255382600000/#page=221

The city can removed anyone from the property. The city attorney addressed this concern at the January 9th 2024 City Council meeting. See the video (@01:31:40) for the city attorney’s statements about this.

We absolutely can close it [to the public], just like …the back parts at city hall- although it’s public property, it’s not open to the public. The Safe Place to Park property is not open to the public. It is open only to the participants of the program.

https://sedonaaz.new.swagit.com/videos/294198

Distance From Community Aspects

Over 2200 feet (.4) miles to the high school

Over 2400 feet (.45 mile) to the nearest residence

Addressing Issues Raised By Residents

Some residents have come out against this proposal, expressing concerns. We would like to address some of them. Sources for the items below are either called out in each item, or are found in the latest City Council meeting package which has the full description of the program (See section Official Pages And Documents below)

1) Sedona Ends Up Like Oregon or San Clemente

Oregon’s program opened up lots, letting homeless, unemployed move in and camp on the property (similar to San Clemente which was sued when their program was closed). Our program is for working homeless, they cannot set up anything outside of their car and must completely vacate the property from 8 am – 4 pm.

2) It Will Be A Free-For-All, First Come, First Served

Participants must apply ahead of time.  City Staff will do a background check and confirm that they meet the program criteria – work in Sedona or have kids in the Sedona Schools.  Most of the residents that qualify are already known.  Many contacted the City when the potential program was announced.  The list of approved residents will probably be finalized before the facility is complete.

3) Once It Is Open, It Can Never Close

The City can discontinue the program at any time. At the Feb 6 2024 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the city attorney talks about how the program was designed in such a way as to not have arise issues pertaining to closure such as squatter’s rights. See the video of this meeting (@01:04:00)

4) Children Will Be Taken From Their Parents

Families with children are welcome and children will absolutely not be taken from their parents as a part of this program. The goal is to support families until housing is available, not break them up. Getting them linked up with Verde Valley Homeless Coalition will help.

5) Use The DELLS Instead

The Dells (property across from the sewer plant on 89A toward Cottonwood) is used to disperse the treated sewer water by spraying and injection wells. That system would have to be relocated and would require more injection wells. The property is also outside of the city limits on county land, so the Board of Supervisors would have to approve changes to zoning to allow additional uses on the land. It has been estimated that it could take years to move on any projects at the Dells.

Fultz also said that using the Dells for housing would be unrealistic due to the $20 million cost of installing injection wells to dispose of the city’s Grade A treated effluent, which City Manager Karen Osburn confirmed.

https://www.redrocknews.com/2024/03/14/council-votes-6-1-to-ok-car-camp-for-homeless-workers/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hello_name_here_is_your_latest_sedona_news&utm_term=2024-03-15

Suggestions have been made that less land for surface spraying could be used if a retention pond was built. The environmental regulations requiring saturation and evaporation techniques would create challenges to ensure no large rain storm causes overflow resulting in water being discharged into washes, streams and rivers.

One person opined that that native tribes would like the water, and that treated water could be pumped to a local reservation. This would likely be challenged by state and federal water rights holders down valley. This could also entangle Sedona with the Arizona Department of Water Resources and federal departments such as the U.S. Department of the Interior – Indian Affairs.

One option to explore more is whether some small number of acres could be not sprayed and a parking area created. One challenge would be the smell, for as the water is treated it may not be odor free enough to be seen as an acceptable use for parking in conjunction with nearby surface spraying.

6) Greywater Discharge From Showers Not Sustainable

The city public works department talked to this issue at the January 9th 2024 City Council meeting. The water is not considered a hazard if not contained. Direct discharge is “OK”. There is no odor. The soap is not a problem. It is legal for anyone to direct discharge to your landscaping water from your laundry or bathrooms as long as it is not coming from the toilet. In fact this practice is encouraged in AZ because of the drought we’re experiencing. See the video (@01:39:43) to hear the statements made.

The City is working closely with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to adhere to stringent greywater guidelines at the site.  An ADEQ permit application is being submitted for operation of the greywater project.  The City is also working with Friends of the Verde River to ensure that environmental and water quality standards are met.  

The goal of the greywater project is to collect/direct it to available vegetation, and sustainably reuse it to water the environment, including vegetation that will be added to the ‘rain garden demonstration project.’  This project will be developed in tandem with the Friends of the Verde River along with City of Sedona Public Works and Sustainability staff.  The team will develop and deliver a responsible, environmentally sound project with a ‘public education’ component.

Email from Sedona City Housing Coordinator Jeanne Frieder March 18, 2024

Tracy Randall, Sedona Resident and president of the Verde Valley Cyclist Coalition gave public comment (@02:48:00) about concerns with the runoff from the site, citing damage observed (with councilor Pete Furman also observing) on the Crusty trail (which is not near the site area) and the Bottom Out trail, which is adjacent to and downhill from the site area. Tracy also called for thought about how to do better metrics to protect the area, and to go look at the possible impact outside the project area boundary.

The city has a policy from Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool, which reviewed the program and the city’s current coverage. Additional risk assessment has been requested by the city. See Legal Risk below for more information.

8) We should do a housing needs assessment first

On March 21st 2024 the city opened an RFP for a needs assesment

Homeless Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan Development

Department City Manager
Category RFPs - Finance
RFP Number 24-007RFP
Start Date 03/21/2024 4:00 p.m.
Close Date 04/09/2024 1:59 p.m.
RFP Post Status Open

24-007RFP – Homeless Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan Development

Category: RFPs – Housing
RFP Number: 24-007RFP
Start Date: 03/21/2024
Close Date: 04/09/2024

The City of Sedona is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to conduct a comprehensive Homelessness Needs and Services Assessment and to develop a Strategic Plan to address homelessness. To find details about this project or submit a response, please visit the City’s eProcurement system at https://sedonaaz.bonfirehub.com/portal.

Email dated March 21 2024

Some residents on Nextdoor have repeatedly made the suggestions (one here) that that the city has a legal risk large enough to warrant not doing the project. The city attorney throughout the process has not indicated there is a risk. Only once across several meetings have City councilors asked questions related to legal liability. When queried over email about legal risk, the city attorney said this:

“The City’s insurance carrier, the Arizona Municipal Risk Retention Pool, has reviewed the Safe Place to Park program, the City’s current coverage, and did not recommend any additional insurance beyond what the City already carries on the Cultural Park properties. The current coverage is the same as the insurance limits at parks, like Posse Grounds Park, and on its leased properties like the Sedona Community Pool.  Additionally, AMRRP’s Sr. Risk Management Consultant at the City’s request has scheduled an onsite visit of the proposed location to advise on additional safety steps the City may take, if any.”

Email from City Attorney to Shannon Boone dated 3/18/2024

A resident or group of residents are welcome to contact us with more information about this such as what constitutes the risk, what is the probability of the risk, stories about other cities that had a bad outcome that ran a similar overnight-only program, legal analysis from a qualified person (past or present lawyer, a city staff person from any city that dealt with the issues related to the claimed risk).

We would like to be as inclusive and balanced as possible and although leaders of Sedona Residents Unite are for this project, we continue to desire to have this page present only facts (again, please contact us if you think we got some facts wrong).

Cultural Park 2.0 Issue

At the last City Council meeting several residents spoke either representing the organization Cultural Park 2.0, or supporting the effort to resurrect a large commercial scale entertainment venue. Several comments seemed to suggest a belief that the Safe Place To Park program precluded using the site for a music venue, or that having both run concurrently would be very undesireable.

However, there is no possibility that a music venue could be put into operation before this project will be completed.

It has been stated by the city that except for four acres to be used for affordable housing, which the city already put out before any park master plan* process could be completed. While this processes plays out over the coming years the land will sit unused. The Safe Place To Park program would being and cease operations before an entertainment venue could be established.

Side note: The condition of the existing structures (arch, concrete, other) needs to be assessed by engineering firm. Residents have said on Nextdoor that original designers and others have done an assessment and feel the structure is sound.

More Information about the initiative to revive a music venue at the Cultural Park property can be found here:

Online Petition: Save the Sedona Arizona Cultural Park!

Sedona Cultural Park 2.0

Residents come together to revive Sedona Cultural Park

Park Master Plan Process Required

A park master plan is a comprehensive document and process that include an internal assessment, community engagement, resources and data collection, and development of an implementation plan (source).

The process can take many years to complete and involves developing conceptual designs and drawings, presenting those to the public for input, selecting a design to iterate on, revision of the design to incorporate public feedback and learnings from site assessment, and presentation of the design for approval from citizen commissions (for cities with a Parks and Recreation Commission) with final approval by the city council.

A system-wide park master plan is a comprehensive document and process that include an internal assessment, community engagement, resources and data collection, and development of an implementation plan.

https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/best-practice-resources/creating-equity-based-system-master-plans/

Park Master Plan Processes Take Years

Here is an example of a Park Master Plan the city of Sedona did for the 3.5 acre Ranger Station Park: Ranger Station Park Master Plan. After purchasing the property in 2014, the city started a planning process in March 2015 with an open house on May 30th 2015 and presented the plan to city council on November 10th 2016.

An AZ Central article acknowledge opinions of city acknowledge the fact that a park master plan will likely take two years:

“Putting the program in the Cultural Park would “kill the golden goose and eat it,” Jessup said.

But city officials emphasized the program is temporary — with a firm two-year limit on the grant funding as well as a zoning reversal that would revoke the specified land use in June 2026.

The community over that period will be undergoing an intensive process to develop a master plan for the future of the Cultural Park, which officials estimate will take at least two years to complete.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2024/03/15/sedona-approves-safe-parking-for-workers-living-in-cars/72958830007/?utm_source=azcentral-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailybriefing-greeting&utm_term=hero&utm_content=pphx-phoenix-nletter02

Music Venue Mixed Up With Referendum

See Citizen Starts Referendum Petition below. The confusion about mutual exclusivity between the Safe Place To Park program and a music venue- the idea both can’t or should not run concurrently was increased by audience members upon hearing a resident give public comment who mentioned how the city might approach a music venue. The residents public comment in the official recording of the March 12, 2024 City Council meeting (@03:03:30).

His comments started off expressing concern about Sedona turning into Portland by making the same mistakes Portland made twenty years ago. He also felt Sedona should put a homeless carpark** out at the Dells.

The resident’s comments change (@03:04:07) the topic of resurrecting an entertainment venue at the Cultural Park property, expressing the opinion that the Safe Place To Park should not co-exist with the entertainment venue.

If the city makes this permanent zoning change, to put a homeless car park right next to the stage of the amphitheater, you’re going to be driving a stake through an amphitheater that could kill it forever.

I mean, who’s going to want to perform on a stage next to a homeless car park?

https://sedonaaz.new.swagit.com/videos/299731 @03:04:07

Note: A statement was made in this public comment that the zoning change would be permanent. At that time of his speaking this was true. But later in the meeting the council voted to have the zoning change automatically revert at the end of two year.

** Many confuse what this project is by calling it a homeless camp. But the phrase homeless camp does not accurately describe this project as this phrase has common connotations of users establishing residency (never leaving). Participants in the Safe Place To Park program will need to leave each morning and leave no trace, and with other program elements has been specifically designed to not allow participants to establish residency.

Citizen Starts Referendum Petition

At the March 12th City Council meeting in which councilors voted to approve the zoning change required to allow the Safe Place To Park program to be built and operate, a resident gave public comment (see also section Cultural Park 2.0 Issue above) and indicated that a ballot referendum would be filed to put the zoning change to a vote of the people at the next election. (See the official recording of the March 12, 2024 City Council meeting @03:03:35). In approximately two days the resident filed a ballot referendum.

The referendum petition has to collect 597 wet (not electronic) signatures by April 11th 2024.

See also:

Information About Signing The Petition

Residents interested in reversing the zoning change have created the website sedonavotes.com to inform citizens about this issue and to provide information about how residents can sign the petition to recall the zoning change.

See also Residents collecting signatures to force Cultural Park car camp referendum

Contents of the Ballot Referendum Petition

“This petition seeks to refer Ordinance No. 2024-01 [the “Ordinance”], as approved by the Sedona City Council on March 12, 2024, to the City’s voters for their rejection or approval,” the group’s application for a referendum states. “The Ordinance approves a change to the current ‘Planned Development’ zoning of Yavapai County Assessor’s parcel 408-47-009A [located northwest of the intersection of W. State Route 89A and Cultural Park Place] by adding the City’s ‘Safe Place to Park’ program as a permitted use of the parcel through June 30, 2026.”

If the committee obtains a sufficient number of signatures, the Cultural Park zoning will appear on the November election ballot alongside four open council seats; the current holders of three of these seats are running for reelection. Mayor Scott Jablow and Councilwoman Kathy Kinsella supported the camp, while Vice Mayor Holli Ploog voted against it and stated that she would sign the petition to submit the zoning to the electorate.

https://www.redrocknews.com/2024/03/18/residents-collecting-signatures-to-force-cultural-park-referendum/

Here is the text of the petition and statement from the author:

ORDINANCE NO. 2024-__ SAFE PLACE TO PARK PZ 24-00002 (ZC) AN ORDINANCE OF THE OF THE CITY OF SEDONA, ARIZONA, REZONING THAT PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN BY ADDING THE “SAFE PLACE TO PARK” PROGRAM TO THE LIST OF PERMITTED USES FOR THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (PD) ZONING OF THE PARCEL; DIRECTING THE AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING MAP UPON COMPLETION OF ALL ZONING CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE

Since I drafted the referendum petition, I confirm it merely asks the people of Sedona to decide whether to approve or disapprove the zoning change that allows the homeless car park to operate in the Cultural Park next to the stage of the amphitheater.

https://nextdoor.com/p/rbQ399Dy9CJc/c/1116532849?init_source=notification_center

Referendum Vote Delays Program

This created a complication because the contract with the state to receive funding for the program indicates the program must be started (construction) in July of 2024. At this time, indications by councilors are that the City Council is not ready to proceed with the project ahead of a vote of the people.

Comments on Nextdoor and statements made by the city manager indicate there is a possibility of renegotiating with the state to delay the start of the program until after the referendum vote if the referendum vote fails.

Additional Cultural Park Confusion

A website was created to say that a music venue is not viable. It points out that the person who filed to start the referendum process wants the Cultural Park to be used as a music venue. But whether a music venue should or should not be resurrected is irrelevant to a decision about Safe Place To Park because no music venue could be put into operation before the Safe Place To Park project ends.

This idea, championed by a new resident and his followers, aims to shift the focus from the current plans for the city-owned Western Gateway property —intended for housing and parkland—to establishing a 5,000+ attendee event venue.

https://no2culturalpark.com/

More About The Housing Crisis

  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says:
    • “Rent Burden is the share of a family’s adjusted gross income that they pay towards rent and utilities”. (source)
    • “Affordable housing is generally defined as housing on which the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of gross income for housing costs, including utilities.” (source).
    • Severe housing burden as paying more than 50% of monthly household income toward housing costs. (source)
  • The US Census says:
  • The rental housing shortage is throughout the Verde Valley. So telling workers to just rent in Cottonwood or Rimrock and commute is not an option.
  • The site is in the southwest corner of the Cultural Park, 12% of the full Cultural Park site, which is not visible from 89A or any home. 
  • This program will NOT prevent consideration for bringing back the Cultural Park music venue. It is a two year program, so has no impact on the Master Planning Process for the site – affordable housing and/or a music venue.
  • The program will reduce the impacts of vehicular homelessness on law enforcement.  Those living in their vehicles will have a legal place to park overnight, rather than utilizing local streets, neighborhoods and parks where they are “moved along” in the middle of the night.
  • The program will help us count this largely hidden population and better inform housing needs to tailor housing options to people’s needs.  Housing is the goal!  Participants will be the first to know of workforce housing as it becomes available. 

Sedona’s housing expenses are 88% higher than the national average and the utility prices are 10% lower than the national average. Transportation expenses like bus fares and gas prices are 13% higher than the national average.

https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Location=Sedona-AZ/Salary

Safe Parking Places Opening In Other Parts Of The Country

Americans living in their cars are finding refuge in ‘safe parking lots’

Phillips has been surprised by the number of senior citizens living in their cars. “Maybe they have family in other parts of the country, and the family has no idea,” he said. “And of course, they’re so ashamed they didn’t want their loved ones to know.”

This reflects the experiences of many safe-lot managers. “It’s really unfortunate because there’s no alternative for people who’ve worked all their lives, and either their partner or spouse dies so their income is reduced,” said Schwarz. “Or they’ve been living in the same apartment for 30 years and whoever owns it wants to put their grandparents in there. So they evict them, and they go into the rental market and get sticker shock.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/05/safe-overnight-parking-lot-sleep-in-car-rv-homelessness-housing-shelter

Federal Representatives Acknowledge The Need

Safe parking programs are difficult to fund, but sorely needed

On Thursday, House lawmakers will unveil bipartisan legislation to use federal dollars to pay for neighborhood programs that provide safe places to park for people who are living in their vehicles.

These programs have existed in some form or another for two decades, but they have had to cobble together funding, making them difficult to expand — even as the need for assistance for unhoused people has skyrocketed.

“Probably at least 50%, maybe even slightly higher of the people that are enrolled in the safe parking program are senior citizens,” said Cora Patton, a case manager at New Beginnings. “We’ve also had a huge influx of families with small children.”

https://www.marketplace.org/2024/01/25/safe-parking-programs-are-difficult-to-fund-but-sorely-needed/

Arizona Spends On Big Money On The Homeless Population

A recent estimate revealed Arizona now spends approximately $1 billion annually to support the state’s homeless population, with the majority of the funding directed toward housing projects and shelters.

https://arizonasuntimes.com/news/sedona-designates-safe-place-to-park-for-homeless-arizonans-living-in-vehicles/tpappert/2024/03/16/

Official Pages And Documents

Safe Place To Park

Safe Place To Park Projects and Proposals Page

Safe Place To Park Project Application

Safe Place to Park Eligibility Requirements

Safe Place to Park FAQs

Packet from City Council Meeting 1/9/2024

Staff presentation materials from City Council Meeting 1/9/2024

Video from the City Council Meeting 1/9/2024

Packet from Planning and Zoning Meeting 2/6/2024

Packet from City Council Meeting 3/12/2024 (revised, starting page 159)

Video from the City Council Meeting 3/12/2024

Grant application for funds from AZ Department of Housing

Grant agreement with AZ Department of Housing

RFP For Housing Needs Assessment

Western Gateway Community Focus Area
This document specifies that the area should promote housing, specifically multi-family housing.

Other Media

Since this subject has garnered international attention, it is impossible to include here every reference by media outlets. Many articles are just repetitions of original reporting with no added value other than a particular slant.

Note: Most Facebook links require a Facebook login/account.

City Offical Social Media

See also Official Pages above

Facebook Post 10/25/2023

Sedona Votes

Guest Essay by William Noonan (created the ballot referendum petition)

Verde Valley News (Paywall)

Homeless safe parking may go to voters; project put on hold

Sedona.biz

It’s the Right Thing to Do. Support the City’s “Safe Place to Park” Initiative

Council Moves Forward On Homeless Parking at Cultural Park Despite Strong Community Opposition

Op/Ed: Safe Place to Park a Community Priority

Op/Ed: Thumbs Up or Down For Working Homeless Safe Place to Park

Answering Questions and Concerns About Safe Place to Park

Fights On!

Arizona Sun Times

Sedona Designates ‘Safe Place to Park’ for Homeless Arizonans Living in Vehicles

Red Rock News

Council votes 6-1 to OK car camp for homeless workers

Housing Manager Shannon Boone told the council that city staff have already identified 44 Sedona workers who want to participate in the program and repeated that campers will be required to enter “individual service plans” with the site manager, Verde Valley Homeless Coalition, and to commit to seeking permanent housing.

Council votes 6-1 to OK car camp for homeless workers

“There’s nothing legally to prevent the city from closing it immediately,” City Attorney Kurt Christianson said. “That’s why they have to leave every morning.”

Council votes 6-1 to OK car camp for homeless workers

Residents collecting signatures to force Cultural Park car camp referendum

“We have hundreds of signatures in the first weekend of circulating the petition,” Noonan said on Monday, March 18.

https://www.redrocknews.com/2024/03/18/residents-collecting-signatures-to-force-cultural-park-referendum/

Fox News 10

Note: The segment interviewed a VOC restaurant owner saying no transportation…to the Villiage of Oak Creek, not to Sedona.
Sedona approves controversial plan to create space for workers to sleep in cars

ABC 15 Arizona

Is Arizona No Longer Affordable?

Arizona Central (Paywall)

Links to this site require a paid subscription.

As housing costs skyrocket, Sedona will allow workers to live in cars. Residents aren’t happy

The council’s decision Tuesday comes after more than a year of planning and refining a program aimed at providing relief for area workers while affordable housing projects move through the construction process.

City officials estimate that the 30-unit workforce housing project on Shelby Drive will be ready for residents by the time the Safe Place to Park program ends in 2026.

As housing costs skyrocket, Sedona will allow workers to live in cars. Residents aren’t happy

“I don’t think there’s anybody up here or staff that are extremely proud of this. This is a last-ditch effort,” Mayor Scott Jablow said. “No one’s really proud because this isn’t really the answer. It’s one of many answers.” – Mayor Scott Jabow

As housing costs skyrocket, Sedona will allow workers to live in cars. Residents aren’t happy

Despite being initially supportive of the program during prior council discussions, Vice Mayor Holli Ploog cast the sole dissenting vote. She said she ended the night conflicted with how to best represent the people of Sedona on this issue.

“I wish we had the authority to put this on the ballot because I want to hear what the community actually wants to do,” Ploog said.

As housing costs skyrocket, Sedona will allow workers to live in cars. Residents aren’t happy

Ariona Family

Petition created to stop overnight homeless parking lot in Sedona

Straight Talk With Brian Sussman

Michael Schroeder on Homeless Car Lot in Sedona Cultural Park

Interview with Bill Noonan, the author of the ballot referendum

Update on Safe Place To Park program @ 21:05

The Jeff Oravits Show

Sedona homeless camp to the voters?
This is an interview with the person that filed to create the ballot referendum petition. There are a number of factual problems or confusions with statements made in this interview:

  • The statement that “retired and disabled people are allowed into the park” is an incomplete statement of the rules. These groups are allowed in only if they can show prior residence in the city of Sedona by producing a driver’s license that has a Sedona address on it that was issued prior to 2024.
  • The statement that perhaps someone with a psychiatric condition could be allowed into the overnight carpark is accurate, but this is true of restaurants and hotels and rentals and homes. Such persons would still have to satisfy the eligibility requirements of the program.
  • A point is made about the word “safe” in the title of the program. Safe can mean both protected from issues of safety, but it can also mean safe from police action that results from parking overnight illegally in the city.
  • The claim is made that this is a solution in search of a problem. But this belies several facts and developments in both the city and society at large:
    • The needs have been identified. There is a population to serve. The full details of the need are lacking however, such as the lack of rental listings analysis in the Verde Valley. The city has identified and connected with more than 40 people who indicated they would be willing to use this program.
    • The opinion that Sedona doesn’t have a homeless problem because there are not obvious visible expressions of homelessness is not a supportable basis. The need has been demonstrated in various city documents, and was included in the approved grant application: “Vehicular homelessness is prevalent in Sedona. Many families and individuals who live and work in Sedona have been forced to make a choice to live in their cars because of a lack of affordable housing in the area.”
      • The fact that the Code Blue program, to issue hotel vouchers on very cold nights, issued no vouchers was cited as proof there is no homeless problem. But the reason no vouchers were issued was because of technical issues printing the vouchers, and lack of city follow-through with that problem, not because there were no homeless to use the program.
    • There are grants available from the state and federal agencies to address homeless. In a what was described by the city as a very competitive applicant pool for state funds through the Arizona Department of Housing, the program won $875,638 to operate the program over two years. This says society sees a need in general, by the existence of the grant funds, and in specific, by Sedona winning grant funding for this program. So while it is the opinion of one or several person’s that this program is not justified, that is not the view of the city, many residents who supported this program, and society as expressed by goverments at several levels in the United States.
  • The view was expressed that the city intended the Cultural Park property for workforce housing, which was clarified to be high density housing. This is partially correct. The Western Gateway Community Focus Area (CFA) document specifically calls for multi-family housing as part of a blend of housing types: “A diversity of housing types should be provided, incorporating both ownership and rentals with sizes and price ranges to meet the needs of seniors, singles, workforce, and others who want alternatives to a detached single-family house, including but not limited to mixed use, live/work, and multi-family options”
    • The opinion that Sedona doesn’t have a homeless problem because there are not obvious visible expressions of homelessness is not a supportable basis. The need has been demonstrated in various city documents, and was included in the approved grant application: “Vehicular homelessness is prevalent in Sedona. Many families and individuals who live and work in Sedona have been forced to make a choice to live in their cars because of a lack of affordable housing in the area.”
      • The fact that the Code Blue program, to issue hotel vouchers on very cold nights, issued no vouchers was cited as proof there is no homeless problem. But the reason no vouchers were issued was because of technical issues printing the vouchers, and lack of city follow-through with that problem, not because there were no homeless to use the program.
  • The sentiment that only those who voluntarily choose a nomadic lifestyle would be the participants of the program is not factual. The city council voted to exclude seasonal workers. The eligibility requirements may allow some who have chosen to remain homeless but they are not the targeted demographic for the program.
  • It was stated that a restraining order was issued against the San Luis Obispo County’s Safe Parking Site forcing it to continue operations, and that this example is the reason this program should not happen. But restraining orders are are issued for many reasons and do not necessarily indicate support for plaintiffs. In this case the courts affirmed in the minutes of a hearing on the matter that the program was never supposed to be a permanent home, and that residents did not seek housing and did not uphold Relocation Assistance Program contracts that almost every resident signed, and the plaintiff’s lawyer said “The court is not likely to extend the restraining order past April 29” (source).

New York Post

Arizona city to allow workers to sleep in their cars as it grapples with housing costs

Washington Post

Wealthy Sedona’s answer to housing crisis: A parking lot to sleep in

Nextdoor

The following links represent sizable discussion by confirmed residents (including some area residents not in the city limits).

Note: You must have a Nextdoor account in the area in and around Sedona to visit these links.

Summary of objections and rebuttal to those

Sedona homeless issues

I’m curious how many people living in their cars around Sedona used to live in Sedona…

Here’s how the AZ Republic reported on the “campsite” for those living in their cars in Sedona…

Discussion of the petition to stop

Proponent opines

How might the “City of Sedona” use the Cultural Park property for affordable housing?

Cultural Park 2.0 proponents commenting at the city council meeting inappropriate

The Safe Place 2 Park passes

Comment on the ABC 15 video segment

From The Sedona Housing Advocacy Group

In AZ, 52.8% are renters defined as “housing-burdened”

Text of the referendum petition

Twitter

In the March 19, 2024 edition of the Arizona Agenda, In Other News section, Sedona is obliquely referenced in a blurb about reaction to Arizona Governor Kattie Hobbs vetoing the Starter Homes Act

Meanwhile, home developer and Senate President Warren Petersen criticized cities for being willing to change ordinances to let people sleep in their cars, but not zoning to speed up construction. 

https://arizonaagenda.substack.com/p/the-free-agenda-scandals-and-silence

Zero Hedge

Housing Affordability Crisis Solved: Sedona To Let Homeless Workers Sleep In Cars

Residents worry the lot will become a hub of criminality and drug use. One resident who fled homeless-plagued Portland for sanctuary in Sedona is already working on an end-around to kill the program. “If the city does pass this misbegotten zoning ordinance, I’ve already prepared and tomorrow I will file for a ballot referendum so the people of Sedona can correct that mistake,” said Dr. Bill Noonan on the day of the vote. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/housing-affordability-crisis-solved-sedona-let-homeless-workers-sleep-cars

DailyMail.com

Wealthy Sedona residents in uproar over city’s plans to create PARKING LOT for homeless to sleep in because they can’t afford houses