Houseless Leadership Project

The Fund for Empowerment began in 2018 as an organization primarily composed of homeless individuals advocating for their rights. Co-founded by Elizabeth Venable and Dorian Vrenden, the group is currently involved in significant litigation titled Fund for Empowerment v. City of Phoenix, which continues even amid constraints imposed by the Supreme Court. The organization works to address issues of injustice and discrimination faced by unhoused people and gained significant traction after collaborating with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and contributing to a 2024 report on the Phoenix Police Department’s treatment of homeless individuals.


A core focus of the Fund for Empowerment is the development of leadership skills among homeless individuals and facilitating their civic participation. The organization trains these individuals to speak out about their experiences and advocate for their rights, aiming to lower the affective barriers that often prevent them from engaging in civic discourse. The Fund’s early work involved organizing and bringing attention to the discriminatory policing practices used against Phoenix’s homeless population. As Frank Urban, one of the organizers of the Fund for Empowerment, recalled, Phoenix police officers regularly harassed homeless individuals. They would blare bullhorns in the middle of the night, destroying personal belongings such as IDs, Social Security cards, and legal documents. Urban described the treatment as "degrading" and noted how it felt like a betrayal from those sworn to protect. Urban stated, “I felt betrayed by the people, the police, the people who are sworn to protect everyone including the homeless." Elizabeth Venable echoed these sentiments, lamenting the criminalization of homelessness and the lack of legal protections for unhoused individuals: “We want to ensure that the rights of our community are recognized and that we are treated with dignity."


The DOJ’s investigation, which included testimonies from Urban and other Fund members, confirmed that the Phoenix Police violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments by unlawfully detaining people and destroying their property. According to the DOJ, homeless individuals made up 37% of misdemeanor arrests in Phoenix between 2016 and 2022, despite being less than 1% of the city's population. Venable and the Fund were instrumental in providing evidence and personal stories that shaped the report, highlighting the systematic abuse of homeless rights. This validation, as Venable described it, came as a result of years of persistence in trying to expose these inhumane practices.


The ongoing litigation, Fund for Empowerment v. City of Phoenix, seeks to address these systemic issues despite the constraints imposed by the recent Supreme Court rulings that allow local governments to enforce laws that ban public camping, even in the absence of adequate shelter space. Tragically, the advocacy work of the Fund has been underscored by the death of Michael Felder, a beloved member of the homeless community, which highlighted the urgent need for systemic change and comprehensive services. Faith Kearns and Frank Urban serve as plaintiffs in the litigation, with Kearns remarking, “This lawsuit isn’t just about us; it’s about everyone who’s been treated unfairly. It’s time for the city to be held accountable for its actions.” Urban added, “We are fighting not just for ourselves but for a future where no one has to fear losing everything just because they don’t have a place to stay.” Furthermore, Elishyah Denise McKinley, a strong advocate who was forced to live on Maricopa County asphalt lots, emphasized the dire conditions facing many unhoused individuals, stating, “The ground was so hot, I had to wear combat boots. And there were ants everywhere. We deserve better than this."


Following the DOJ report, the Fund continued its fight against the criminalization of homelessness, particularly in light of the Supreme Court ruling. Venable criticized the city’s response, arguing that criminalizing homelessness does not solve the issue but rather perpetuates a cycle of displacement and suffering. Kearns noted, “I felt like I was ‘scum’ and ‘dirt’ when the police treated me that way.” Additionally, Cappy Maatsch, an organizer with the Fund, expressed concern that the city’s policies often lead to forced relocations, stating, “I think it’s going to happen, but it’s going to happen after all of these people are displaced.”


During a public meeting, Tony Harris expressed frustration over the city’s policies, stating, “We have seen the city make promises and then do a lateral move. This isn’t real change.” This sentiment was echoed by community members who argued that the city’s approach failed to address the root causes of homelessness, leaving many without a viable path to stability.


Through its activism, the Fund for Empowerment remains a central figure in Phoenix’s homeless rights movement, providing a voice for the most marginalized and pushing for systemic change in both policy and societal attitudes. The ongoing efforts of the Fund highlight the importance of involving unhoused individuals in discussions that affect their lives and ensuring that solutions are compassionate and just.