2010 Annual Report

Phoenix

Growing Sustainable Communities

Phoenix LISC continues to administer and expand its comprehensive Building Sustainable Communities initiative known locally as the Neighbors United program. The initiative focuses on two neighborhoods, Golden Gate and Central City South, where Quality-of-Life plans are being implemented and initial planning is underway in a third neighborhood, Escobedo-Washington Park. LISC has provided $493,575 to support the lead agencies to date, which leveraged an additional $270,000 from local supporters.

Sustainable Communities Working Group

LISC Phoenix has convened a group of regional partners seeking to make equitable transit-oriented development a reality in areas served by the new light rail line with a goal of creating a $50 million revolving fund to incent, leverage and guide development. LISC and NEF are helping Native American Connections Inc. build the first non-profit transit-oriented development project in Phoenix with 65 units of affordable rental housing.

Preserving Housing & Increasing Family Wealth

Twelve nonprofit members of LISC’s Sustainable Homeownership Coalition (SHO) are counseling and qualifying working families to find and rehabilitate foreclosed homes. SHO has facilitated the sale of 862 properties to date, reducing the vacancies left behind by the recent wave of foreclosures, while creating affordable housing opportunities for qualified buyers. LISC Phoenix helps build the capacity of SHO Coalition members to help cities administer Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds in multiple communities in Maricopa County.

Stimulating Economic Development

LISC supports revitalization in key commercial districts, including Hatcher Road in the Sunnyslope area of Phoenix. Working to re-shape the corridor into an inviting, pedestrian-friendly commercial district, LISC helped Desert Mission Neighborhood Renewal adopt a commercial corridor Zoning Overlay District and complete a $1.8 million lighting project to dramatically improve nighttime safety in the area. With support from State Farm, a $150,000 property façade project is underway with several more planned.

Fostering Healthy Environments

The Home Depot Foundation awarded a $83,800 grant through LISC Phoenix for ReGreening Phoenix, a project that is connecting green development and energy efficiency with the foreclosed properties rehabbed through the SHO Coalition. An additional $10,000 will support tree planting.