At least 130 homeless people have died due to heat-related causes.

How many were eligible for housing but denied due to the lack of access or bureaucratic barriers? How many were youth, young adults & people of color?

In Maricopa county, as of October 4th, the 2022 confirmed heat deaths stand at 284, with 169 cases still under investigation. This makes confirmed deaths 83% higher than this time last year, according to the numbers reported by the Maricopa Public Health Department. 

With the recently released Maricopa County Annual Heat Report for 2021, we see that 75% of last year’s heat-associated deaths occurred outside, and 130 deaths occurred among those experiencing homelessness. These staggering numbers,  look only to increase for 2022. Climate change, access to water, homelessness, racial disparities… who is connecting the dots?