Representatives from Gorman & Company Arizona made a study session presentation to the Casa Grande City Council last week to discuss a potential partnership that would provide workforce and affordable housing and contribute to the revitalization of the city’s downtown.
Gorman’s Arizona Market President Sally Schwenn and Development Director Dan Klocke explained Gorman’s goal is to provide quality housing while being a good neighbor in the communities where it works.
Gorman has delivered 2,315 units across 27 different developments in Arizona, according to the presentation. There are another 841 units under construction and 1,543 in predevelopment.
Schwenn said one goal Gorman maintains is the creation of workforce and affordable units that are indistinguishable from market-rate communities, in part to reduce the stigma associated with income-directed housing.
She said the company has projects it wants to build in Casa Grande and that those communities would be a blend of workforce and affordable developments. Schwenn also explained that affordable housing, directed at people earning less than 60% of the Area Median Income, also creates federal tax advantages. Workforce housing is usually targeted at working professionals earning between 60% and 120% of AMI.
Klocke said there are several areas in Casa Grande where Gorman would like to build, adding the company’s goal is not just to provide housing but to also contribute to downtown revitalization efforts.
Most of that development would take place on City-owned land that is currently unused. The City had been working on a similar agreement with Chicanos Por La Causa last year, but CPLC withdrew.
Klocke said if Gorman and Council can reach an agreement when they meet to discuss the matter next month, Gorman could begin planning in April 2025. (Source)