Affordable Housing Grants Announced for AZ Projects

Home Matters® to Arizona, which is planning a $100M fund over two years to finance affordable housing projects in Arizona, announced its first award recipients that will receive a total of $1.2M.

“Home Matters to Arizona is honored to fund these projects across Arizona, which will serve people experiencing homelessness, individuals living with mental illness, domestic violence survivors and low-income families and be located near resources that improve social determinants of health throughout Arizona,” said Lorry Bottrill, CEO, Mercy Care and Home Matters Arizona Governance Fund chair.

Home Matters Arizona Fund is prioritizing and funding promising projects throughout the state that are positioned to demonstrate measurable and positive outcomes focused on specific populations, geographic areas and the community at-large. The fund addresses Arizona’s rising affordability crisis while paying attention to the role of housing justice for underrepresented families and communities.

Home Matters Arizona Fund will invest in projects that serve individuals and families with low to moderate income, veterans, seniors, people who are homeless, people with disabilities, individuals involved with the justice system and those eligible for Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System support.

Founding Home Matters Arizona Fund includes Arizona Complete Health, Banner – University Health Plan, Care1st Health Plan Arizona, Health Choice Arizona, Magellan Complete Care of Arizona, Mercy Care, The NARBHA Institute and UnitedHealthcare.

Home Matters to Arizona is born from a collaboration of the Arizona Association of Health Plans, whose member companies contract with the State’s Medicaid program to serve the health care needs of Arizona’s most vulnerable citizens. The fund seeks projects that align with the values established by the Home Matters® national movement, which is redefining what home and the American Dream mean.

The award recipients: La Frontera Partners, Inc. for the 100-unit Center of Hope Apartments in Pima County; Northern Arizona Housing Solutions for the 13-unit Sharon Manor Renovation & Expansion Project in Coconino County; and Trellis for the 43-unit Trellis @ Mission in Maricopa County.

Project Information

La Frontera Partners, Inc. (Center of Hope Apartments)

4554 S. Palo Verde Road, Tucson

Total Development Cost: $12.6M

Grant Amount: $500K

Units: 100

Construction began in September 2020.

The Center of Hope Apartments Project is to be located within the Center of Opportunity campus being developed by the HS Lopez Family Foundation, which includes three phases:

• Phase I: a 150-bed shelter by Gospel Rescue Mission
• Phase II: a medical clinic, multi-agency use office building for supportive services, a job training center, and a small park
• Phase III: Center of Hope Apartments – a Permanent Supportive Housing Project to be developed by La Frontera Partners, Inc.

Center of Hope Apartments will provide apartments for priority populations including people experiencing homelessness and living with a serious mental illness. There will be on-site supportive services provided by La Frontera Center, Inc. and other community partners.

Northern Arizona Housing Solutions (Sharon Manor Renovation & Expansion Project)

2303 N. Izabel Street, Flagstaff

Total Development Cost: $1.5M

Grant Amount: $300K

Units: 13

Construction began in October 2020.

The Sharon Manor Renovation & Expansion Project consists of an addition of a second story, with four 2-bedroom apartments and one 1-bedroom apartment to the existing single-story communal living facility. The project also involves renovation of the existing bottom floor to convert spaces into independent studio apartments with exterior entrances, private bathrooms and kitchenettes.

Sharon Manor is an existing transitional housing complex that has served the complex and changing needs of domestic violence survivors since 1999. It focuses on trauma-informed care, survivor-centered philosophy where survivors are empowered to engage with services on site, provide feedback and direct their program.

Trellis (Trellis @ Mission)

619 W. Mission Lane, Phoenix

Total Development Cost: $10.7M

Grant Amount: $400K

Units: 43

Construction expected to begin in December 2020.

Trellis @ Mission is a new construction affordable housing community that will serve low-income family households in Phoenix’s Sunnyslope neighborhood. Through an equity/rental credit arrangement, tenants will accumulate value over time toward an eventual opportunity to purchase their unit, with longer term tenants accruing even more value. This incentivizes residents to stay in place, which has the additional benefit of stabilizing the community as those tenants invest in their property, home, community, and neighborhood over time.

Trellis @ Mission has the potential to catalyze wealth creation in these households with the effect of changing generations to come as well as resolving tremendous housing injustices. (Source)