Phoenix ordered to permanently clear largest homeless encampment by early November

A judge ruled Wednesday that Phoenix must permanently clear the city’s largest homeless encampment by Nov. 4. City officials began shutting down the homeless encampment known as "The Zone" in May under an order by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney, but they had asked to be given until April 2024 to complete the job. Justin Pierce, a lawyer representing the city, said in July that parts of the encampment on the edge of downtown Phoenix have been cleared since a judge declared the area to be a public...