Tempe is creating a “storage solutions” program—essentially, a lost-and-found—for belongings left in public spaces such as parks, bus stops, city facilities and other public spaces.
The city issued a request for proposals (RFP) to identify vendors who will log, transport and store items and allow people to go to a storage location to retrieve them.
According to a city press release, this will help anyone who’s left something behind, but in particular should benefit those experiencing homelessness. The idea for the program grew out of the city’s Homeless Solutions Task Force, which identified a need to secure property left behind in public places and at encampments scheduled for cleanup.
Many people experiencing homelessness lose essential belongings when city agencies remove encampments. This can create even more havoc for them. For example, Social Security cards and other ID might get thrown out with an old pair of pants. This can delay and prevent people from getting help such as veterans benefits, housing and more. Others may find their life-preserving medications missing. Clothes, tents, stoves and other integral items might get swept up.
“Our goal is to create an easy way for all residents to reclaim important items that have been left behind on city property,” said Community Services Director Keith Burke in the press release. “For individuals who are homeless, this is especially important. They are not going to be able to access social services, shelter or housing without IDs, birth certificates and other documents. We want to eliminate barriers to getting help.”
Tempe participates in the annual Point-in-Time annual daylong tally of unsheltered individuals in Maricopa County. According to the city’s Homeless Solutions web page, it counted 396 people on the street in January 2020—a 96 percent increase from 2017.
Interested vendors for the storage solutions program must be on call and respond in a timely manner to encampment cleanups. The storage facility ideally will be in Tempe near bus route and must offer regular hours of operation.
For questions about the RFP, contact Daniel_Wojcik@tempe.gov or (480) 350-8682.
