Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

Youth center gets Tempe grant to fight homelessness


The Tempe City Council on Thursday approved a $200,000 one-year contract for Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development, for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing services.

Tumbleweed will use the funds to invest in property that will immediately house young adults and provide support services, said Dick Geasland, Tumbleweed’s executive director.

The center has housing in Phoenix but not in Tempe, Geasland said. With this new funding, it will work with Tempe Youth Resource Center on Sixth Street and Mill Avenue to create housing.

“[It] will provide housing and case management for young adults 18 to 26,” he said, adding that the goal is getting people off the street immediately.

The rapid rehousing services will allow the partnership to invest in three to eight Tempe apartments. Geasland said this is a start, but the Tempe homeless population far outnumbers any available housing.

“Homelessness is expanding everywhere,” he said.

The funds will be used to provide support services for young adults.

These services will aid homeless young adults in learning the skills necessary to take care of an apartment, find a job, succeed in education and support themselves, Geasland said.

“They need some support services for them to be successful to be off on their own,” he said.

The current Tumbleweed Phoenix location and the Tempe Center for Youth Development work to provide basic services to young homeless people, he said. They supply computers, phones, job resources and basic necessities to those who have nowhere to go.

“We need to expand — we don’t have enough room,” Geasland said. “We’re really looking for another place in the downtown [Phoenix] area.”

The Tempe City Council approved Tumbleweed’s request for funding unanimously.

Reach the reporter at ndgilber@asu.edu.


Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.

Subscribe to Pressing Matters



×

Notice

This website uses cookies to make your experience better and easier. By using this website you consent to our use of cookies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.