Medical Treatment and Food Distribution in Parks

New Proposed Ordinance

Currently, medical treatment and food distribution activities take place in City of Phoenix parks without an ordinance or rules that establish guidelines for these activities. As such, the City is considering implementing an ordinance that will provide a framework for medical treatment and food distribution activities in Phoenix parks. 

In December 2025, the Phoenix City Council approved the Safe Medical Treatment in Parks Ordinance, that provided parameters to ensure medical treatment activities were provided in a coordinated and safe manner in City parks. The original effective date of this ordinance was delayed to March 30, 2026, to allow time for stakeholder outreach to be conducted. 

On March 6, 2026, the City Council voted to further delay the effective date to June 1, 2026, providing additional time for ongoing stakeholder and community engagement. 

On March 27, 2026, the City of Phoenix published a proposed revised ordinance, the Medical Treatment and Food Distribution in Parks Ordinance, which incorporates food activities into the ordinance. The intent of this revised ordinance remains to establish guidelines for medical treatment and food distribution activities to be delivered in a coordinated and safe manner. 

The City wants the community's feedback on the revised proposed ordinance before it is presented to the Phoenix City Council for adoption at the Formal City Council meeting on May 6, 2026. 

Community Meetings

The City of Phoenix held a series of community meetings between April 8 - April 16, 2026.