The surge in heat-related deaths in Phoenix highlights the severe impact of climate change, homelessness, and housing instability. Last year, Maricopa County experienced a record 645 heat-related fatalities, marking a 1,000% increase over the past decade. A significant factor is the city’s exploding eviction rates, exacerbated by the end of the pandemic eviction moratorium, which has left many people homeless and vulnerable to the dangerous heat. Nearly half of the victims were homeless, with some succumbing to the heat at bus stops or while sleeping on the pavement. Others, including older individuals or those without access to air conditioning, died in their homes or while simply going for a walk.
Phoenix’s rapid population growth, combined with the increasing frequency of extreme heat events, underscores the urgent need for more effective measures to address housing instability and provide resources for heat relief, especially for the city’s most vulnerable populations.
