PHOENIX (AZFamille)—The city of Phoenix says demand for a program to add barriers to alleys has more than tripled.

“Since October, we have already received 130 applications,” said Yvette Roeder with THE Phoenix Department of Neighborhood Services.

THE Closed aisle program was created to combat illegal dumping and alley trespassing.

The first pilot program began in 2022 in the east Sunnyslope neighborhood.

“We no longer have problems with homeless encampments in alleys. In fact, like mine, I forgot the driveway existed,” said neighbor Jeff Tisot.

Since then, the city installed 333 doors in Phoenix neighborhoods.

This year, the city received the highest number of applications ever.

Although the city says they are effective, the price of installing these doors is not cheap.

A door can cost over $5,500.

“The budget is around $850,000, which helps us cover around 77 segments. Not doors but alley segments,” Roeder said.

By the end of the fiscal year, they expect to receive more than 300 applications.

Now they’re trying to figure out how to pay to meet the growing demand. The city said it needs nearly $3 million.

“We’re almost through the $850,000 and we’re only halfway through the fiscal year,” Roeder said.

The money for the $3 million will come from taxpayers’ money through the Neighborhood Watch Fund.

The Phoenix City Council will vote on this item on Wednesday, December 4.

This money is added to the already budget of $850,000 each year.

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