Drugs, theft and vandalism still plague the area where Phoenix's largest homeless encampment once sat, even though the tent city was cleared six months ago, according to a nearby business owner. "I don't want to get into too much detail, but urinating in public, lewd behavior. You'd be shocked at what we've seen here," Steve Trussell told Fox News Digital.
As many as 1,000 people were living in the tent city that was plagued by rampant crime, drug use and even death, according to local reports. It was "just tough to stomach when you're seeing it firsthand," Trussell, who's worked in Phoenix for over 20 years said. "I was thinking to myself, it looks like a Third World country. And I've been in Third World countries on mission trips, and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing here.
Since The Zone was cleared, crime has dropped nearly 50% from Nov. 1, 2023, through Jan. 15, 2024, compared to the same time period the year prior, FOX10 reported, citing police data. However, Trussell still starts each morning picking up trash around his building. People are more likely to live out of their vehicles now and block traffic and take up parking spaces, he said. Besides safety and hygiene issues, Trussell has also faced property damage costs.