[Source: Dennis Lambert, KTAR Radio] — The Valley’s homeless population is growing. Mark Holleran of Central Arizona Shelter Services said the population at the shelter in downtown Phoenix has jumped from about 550 a night to more than 1,000 over the last three years. “Our numbers have grown probably 10 percent in the last year alone,” Holleran said. “We think absolutely that it’s economy driven.
“The real problem I have right now is not serving people when they come in, but figuring out where they’re going to go to. My job is to move them through the shelter system as quickly as possible.” Eight percent of those seeking services are single adults, many of whom have addiction and correction issues, Holleran said. CASS turns away homeless families every day because there’s simply not enough room.
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