Oct. 25, 2012
Caption:Former Phoenix City Councilman Calvin C. Goode helps youngsters cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Grandfamilies Place of Phoenix Apartments.
The city of Phoenix Housing Department is celebrating the grand opening of a new community known as Grandfamilies Place of Phoenix Apartments. The new development is located at 5150 S. 18th Place, formerly, an outdated, poorly designed complex that had many challenges.
Grandfamilies Place will serve grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Two, three-story buildings will provide grandparents 56 affordable housing units, including two-and three-bedroom apartments. The new community also will have an on-site social services coordinator to help senior caregivers identify the resources they need to raise their grandchildren.
“This new apartment complex is an excellent example of how the city can partner with for-profit and non-profit developers to transform a property, address a great housing need and improve the neighborhood,” said Mayor Greg Stanton.
“Grandparents raising grandchildren is a growing challenge in Phoenix and across the nation. At this unique property, grandparents will have the supportive services and companionship needed to manage situations they may not have encountered when they were young parents raising their own children. Grandfamilies Place is a great place for grandparents to be not only grandparents, but parents to their grandchildren,” said Vice Mayor Michael Johnson.
Co-owned by local non-profit Tanner Properties, Inc. and Alliance Property Group, Inc., Grandfamilies Place is a $11.5 million development financed through a combination of public and private monies that include federal HOME Program funding from the city of Phoenix, Low Income Housing Tax Credits awarded by the Arizona Department of Housing and private lending by Chase Bank and the Utah Community Reinvestment Corporation.
“Tanner Properties has been providing quality housing for seniors for more than 30 years, but Grandfamilies Place has been an exciting project for us,” said Del Monte Edwards, executive director of Tanner Properties Inc. “The true collaboration of the city, the state and our other community partners has made it possible to bring a real innovation to our residents. Good housing with the right mix of services make this development something very special.”
Grandfamilies Place features solar photovoltaic panels that provide power for the common areas and the clubhouse. “This project is proof of what is possible when public and private partners think progressively to address the current and future needs of our communities,” said Danielle Curls-Bennett, president of Alliance Property Group, Inc. “We have been managing public/private development partnerships for many years and are proud of what our team has achieved with this project.”
The Arizona Department of Housing awarded Grandfamilies Place the 2012 Exemplary Urban Multifamily Project Award, which recognizes an outstanding multifamily rental project in urban Arizona that serves low-to moderate-income individuals, families and seniors.
The city of Phoenix Housing Department owns more than 3,500 units of public and affordable housing and manages housing programs that provide homes to more than 25,000 Phoenix residents. The department provides services and referrals to assist residents in attaining self-sufficiency and provides financing to for-profit and non-profit partners to help create additional affordable housing in the Phoenix community.
Media Contact:
| Alejandro Montiel | 602-534-3443 |
