By BEX Staff for AZBEX
Early last month, the Phoenix City Council unanimously voted to approve slightly more than $3M for the development of Senior Bridge, a transitional and affordable senior housing development at 2853 E. Van Buren St. north of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The Council action directs the City Manager to enter into an Affordable Housing Loan Program agreement for the funding using U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan program funds.
Other funding sources for the development include $7.1M from the Arizona Department of Housing, $1.95M from Bloomspot LLC and $750K from the City of Phoenix, according to the agenda.
The Dec. 4 agenda entry says, “Senior Bridge… consists of 65 permanent supportive housing units for previously homeless seniors entering from Senior Bridge’s on-site transitional housing units. The 65 permanent supportive housing units will serve seniors with Area Median Income levels at or below 30%.”
A local news outlet reported the Senior Bridge campus will also include 40 one-bedroom transitional housing units.
Senior Bridge will be developed by Steel + Spark. According to the article, the development will consist of four 40-foot shipping containers that have been modified for residential use. The containers will be connected into an X shape and will feature solar power by day and battery power by night.
Steel + Spark has built several container-based private developments in the Phoenix area, along with four temporary housing communities of 20 units each.
Other Developments
The Council’s Dec. 4 agenda featured two other projects requesting funding in addition to Senior Bridge.
Housing for Hope, LLC requested more than $3M for its St. Catherine Manor development at 1431 E. Southern Ave. According to the agenda, “St. Catherine Manor… consists of 11 permanent supportive housing units for previously homeless seniors. Eight of the 11 units will be targeted for seniors with Area Median Income levels of less than 30%, and three of the 11 units will be targeted for seniors with AMI levels of less than 60%.”
Tanner Community Development
The agenda also included a request for nearly $2.67M for the Tanner Thomas Village Affordable Housing Development Project.
According to the entry, “Tanner Thomas Village, located at 1803 E. Broadway Road, consists of 37 permanent supportive housing units for previously homeless veterans. The 37 permanent supportive housing units will serve veterans with Area Median Income levels at or below 30%.”
