This week, following the City of Phoenix’s announcement that it achieved and surpassed its Housing Phoenix Plan goal five years early, Mayor Kate Gallego and local developer Dr. Jessica Raymond penned and published an opinion column in the Phoenix Business Journal, emphasizing how the City has worked to increase housing choices for families of all sizes and income levels.
Of the 53,000 housing units created or preserved to date, 20.7% are considered affordable units, and 24.7% are considered workforce units, resulting in
nearly half
of all new or preserved homes in the city geared toward households earning 120% or less of the area median income.
Read an excerpt from the op-ed below:
We’ve
all looked into the eyes of a person experiencing homelessness. The woman standing at the freeway exit, the man living in a park, the family standing in line at a soup kitchen.
But have you also seen the elderly woman, once evicted due to life’s circumstances, who now lives independently in a comfortable apartment? Or the single mom with children who can finally escape domestic violence thanks to the safety of her own home?
We have.
It’s
life changing.
The common denominator is a pressing need for high-quality, affordable housing, which the City of Phoenix recognizes. Our plan values innovative community and corporate partnerships. The result: veterans, seniors,
families
and essential workers are closer to the American Dream of homeownership. [...]
This did not happen in a vacuum. To reduce barriers to development, increase the supply of public housing, and
leverage
financial
assistance
for residents, the city needed to innovate its policies,
programs
and initiatives. Intentional collaborations with housing developers and nonprofit organizations working in accessible housing were
a must
. [...]
Partners such as Atlantic Development & Investments, which has built 1,238 affordable units in the city by working closely with Phoenix.
The mayor’s op-ed in the print edition of the Journal.
To read the full op-ed, click
here
.
Housing affordability is a complex issue
impacting
cities across the country, and influenced by many factors outside of cities’ control, including population growth, the pace of housing construction, mortgage rates, costs of labor and materials, supply chain, and the proliferation of investor-owned short-term rentals.
The
City
has implemented other initiatives aimed at ensuring housing is affordable,
equitable
and attainable, including:
• Zoning ordinance changes that
facilitate
more housing options and address accessory dwelling units, multifamily parking standards, mobile homes, and the Walkable Urban Code.
• 20% of land zoned for multifamily housing (36,480 acres),
representing
the largest percentage of multifamily in Maricopa County for cities with 75,000+ residents.
• 1,382 Shelter Beds planned or added since 2022.
• Wi-Fi at more than 35 affordable housing communities, ensuring 4,200 low-income residents have free access to highspeed internet, and connecting them to jobs, telehealth, and education opportunities.
This morning, Mayor Kate Gallego joined volunteers and City staff for the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, the annual street and shelter count that determines the number of people experiencing homelessness throughout Maricopa County during a given point in time, as part of a national effort to identify the extent of homelessness across the country. “The annual Point-in-Time Count is a critical tool that helps cities and counties better understand the needs of the unsheltered population and provide resources accordingly,” Gallego said. “While last year’s count dropped, we know we have a lot more work to do to end this crisis and put those experiencing homelessness on a path to housing. The City will not lose sight of this priority and will continue investing in both temporary and permanent solutions that get people off the streets.” Mayor Gallego speaks to a man experiencing homelessness who will have a job interview later in the day. Last year’s PIT Count report revealed:
The number of unsheltered individuals in Phoenix decreased by 19 percent, from 3,333 people in 2023 to 2,701 in 2024.
The number of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered increased by 15 percent, from 3,569 in 2023 to 4,115 in 2024.
The total population of people experiencing homelessness in Phoenix decreased by just over 1 percent, from 6,902 in 2023 to 6,816 in 2024.
Phoenix was sheltering more than 75 percent of the Maricopa County homeless population.
Because of a series of investments by the City Council, Phoenix is funding more shelter beds than at any time in the city’s history. Despite an improvement in numbers in 2024, Mayor Kate Gallego said there’s still much to do to help those experiencing homelessness to get into permanent housing. The region experienced a significant increase in homelessness following the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last two years, the City of Phoenix built more than 1,400 shelter beds and is on track to deliver close to 450 more by the end of this year.
The homelessness challenge across the U.S. is posing a public health, public safety, and economic threat. Phoenix has converted hotels to temporary housing, used federal relief dollars to build homes made of shipping containers, and expanded wraparound services in partnership with Phoenix non-profits.
Today, Mayor Kate Gallego celebrated two new federal awards on their way to Phoenix.
First, the City’s “Electrify Phoenix” Project received 15 million dollars from the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. The grant will enable the addition of 150 Level 2 and DC Fast Charging stations in city parks, multi-family housing complexes, event centers, the Deer Valley Airport, and neighborhoods that need them most. This initiative supports the City’s goal to accommodate 280,000 electric vehicles (EV) by 2030 and expands charging infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.
In addition to funds awarded for EV charging infrastructure, Phoenix received a 1.4-million-dollar planning grant to improve and reconnect the 3.25-mile walking and cycling path that connects Alhambra, Encanto, and Maryvale along the Grand Canalscape.
“I am grateful to the Biden administration and our Congressional leaders for securing these transformative awards that will help us make Phoenix an even better place to live, work, and visit,” Gallego said. “As we build a more sustainable and interconnected city, new electric charging capabilities will go a long way toward reducing our emissions from transportation, while the Canalscape improvements will bring residents within closer reach of opportunities in education, health care, and good jobs—without necessarily needing a car. I’m excited to get to work implementing these federal grants that will benefit the residents of Phoenix for decades to come.”
Both grant awards are from the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
passed by Congress and signed by the President in November 2021. Read more about Phoenix’s sustainability initiatives in the City’s recent Climate Action Plan Progress report
here.
Today, Climate Mayors announced that Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, Arizona will continue her tenure on Climate Mayors’ leadership team as Chair, succeeding Mayor Justin M. Bibb of Cleveland, Ohio. She previously held the position of Vice-Chair of Climate Mayors since 2021, and brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to her leadership and vision.
As a mayor focused on creating jobs, building resilience against extreme heat and storms, and increasing accessibility to clean water, Mayor Gallego looks forward to forging new partnerships to champion the needs of cities. During her term, she will be joined on the leadership team by Mayor Lauren McLean of Boise, Idaho and Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta, GA. “I am deeply honored to lead Climate Mayors into its next chapter of climate action, which may just be its most important chapter yet,” Mayor Gallego said. “The effects of climate change are on our doorstep, and we must continue prioritizing the creation of resilient, safe, and sustainable communities where anyone can get ahead. Our leadership team will advance climate action from the local level while simultaneously advocating for the support of national leaders.”As Chair of Climate Mayors, Mayor Gallego has highlighted three priorities for her one-year term:
Expand the influence of cities by collaborating with the private sector and philanthropy to supplement federal funding.
Enhance regional work through the Western Water Security Cohort and address the challenges of extreme heat.
Align and support member cities of all sizes to ensure communities continue to access tools and resources to advance local climate action.
Mayor Kate Gallego has served as mayor of Phoenix, Arizona since 2019, winning re-election in November 2024 with sustainability as a top-line issue in her campaign. Mayor Gallego’s goal is to make Phoenix the most sustainable desert city on the planet and to elevate the role of mayors and cities in tackling climate change. Mayor Gallego also serves as the North American representative on the international C40 Cities Steering Committee and a member of the Democratic Mayors Association. Before being elected as mayor, Mayor Gallego served on the Phoenix City Council and worked on Economic Development for local utility company, Salt River Project.
To showcase Phoenix as a rising hub for innovative technology, advanced manufacturing, bioscience, and aerospace, Mayor Kate Gallego and the City's Community and Economic Development Department will travel to this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 7 to 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will mark the Mayor and City's first time participating in CES, the world's largest and most influential technology conference.
Representatives from Mayo Clinic Arizona and innovative local businesses Pawport, Crystal Sonic, and thePause Technologies will join the Phoenix team in Las Vegas.
"We are excited to showcase the many innovative companies and professionals who call Phoenix home and are eager to attract even more talent to our thriving city," Mayor Gallego said. "CES presents us with a unique opportunity to expand our network and demonstrate our strong intentions to build a resilient, high-wage local economy."
The Phoenix delegation will be among the more than 170,000 attendees at CES 2025, which annually serves as a platform for businesses to showcase their latest developments in consumer technology and network with industry leaders.
One of 4,300 exhibitors, Phoenix will be represented with an exhibit in the Venetian Expo Hall (Booth 50655). The City's display will highlight its commitment to fostering a thriving business environment and supporting local entrepreneurs, as well as tout its dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
During the conference, the Phoenix team will look to build relationships with entrepreneurs, potential investors and business leaders ready to expand their interests and make the move to the Phoenix market.
About the Phoenix Companies Traveling to CES 2025
Pawport is a local startup and a CES 2025 Honoree in Pet Tech & Animal Welfare that has developed a revolutionary pet-tracking device.
"Pawport's patented retrofit design brings a new level of security, functionality, and aesthetics to the pet space," Founder and CEO Martin Diamond said. "As we move forward towards the launch of our full product line in 2025, we're extremely excited about the opportunity to grow our brand and scale our organization in our home City of Phoenix, where the product was conceived and developed."
Crystal Sonic is an award-winning deep-tech start-up specializing in sustainability solutions for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
"Joining the Mayor and the City of Phoenix at CES 2025 is an incredible opportunity for Crystal Sonic to showcase Sonic Lift-off, our groundbreaking acoustic technology advancing sustainable semiconductor manufacturing," CEO and Co-founder Arno Merkle said. "Phoenix is a global hub for semiconductor innovation, and we are proud to be part of this thriving ecosystem. With new R&D contracts secured from the NSF, NASA, and industrial customers in addition to investor support, we are set to expand our downtown Phoenix footprint early this year as we drive growth and pioneer cutting-edge solutions in chip manufacturing."
thePause Technologies empowers women to take control of menopause with 24/7 AI-driven support, offering symptom tracking, biofeedback, and tailored guidance.
"We are honored to join the City of Phoenix at CES, showcasing how innovation and collaboration can create transformative solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow," Founder and CEO Susan Sly said. "As a proud Phoenix-based company, thePause Technologies is committed to advancing real-time AI that enhances productivity and well-being for women in perimenopause and menopause. This partnership underscores Phoenix's leadership in fostering a thriving ecosystem for forward-thinking technology companies."
Mayo Clinic Arizona will be showcasing its latest advancements in healthcare technology.
"We are thrilled to be attending the Consumer Electronics Show," Steven J. Lester, M.D., with Mayo Clinic said. "This global stage for innovation aligns wonderfully with our mission to drive revolutionary advancements in healthcare. We are excited to connect with industry leaders, explore cutting-edge technologies, and showcase how Discovery Oasis is fostering collaboration to shape the future of medicine and patient care."
The City of Phoenix has positioned itself as a rising tech hub and a place where the bioscience, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace industries are expanding and evolving. It's also a place where entrepreneurship and innovation are nurtured and celebrated.
Visit InvestInPhoenix.com/CES to learn more.
Mayor Kate Gallego today joined many across the country in mourning the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, a devoted humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, who died at the age of 100.
“President Carter was a fighter for everyday Americans, and that commitment continued after his presidency through extraordinary humanitarian work with his wife Rosalynn," Gallego said. “I looked up to President Carter – not only because he brokered landmark peace treaties or spearheaded major domestic energy policies – but because he overcame historic challenges and accomplished incredible feats while remaining his authentic self. I especially appreciated his commitment to elevating young women to spheres of influence, and he appointed more women as federal judges than all previous presidents combined. President Carter leaves behind a legacy of service and achievement that I and so many other leaders around the country can only hope to mirror. He will be greatly missed."
Before he was elected president, Carter started his public service career in the Georgia State Senate, eventually becoming Georgia's governor. He was also the Democratic National Committee campaign chairman for the 1974 congressional and gubernatorial elections.
During his presidency, Carter ushered the country through major challenges—the energy crisis, Soviet aggression, the Iranian hostage crisis, and the growing domestic distrust in government sowed by the Watergate scandal. Carter had a knack for international affairs, centering his foreign policy around human rights, and successfully negotiated the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1978, for which he later won a Nobel Peace Prize.
After losing re-election in 1980, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, founded the
Carter Center
in partnership with Emory University, a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to “human rights and the alleviation of human suffering" through “preventing and resolving conflicts, enhancing freedom and democracy, and improving health" around the world.
In January 2017, while in Arizona on one of his book tours, Carter received the
Sandra Day O'Connor Justice Prize
from ASU for his post-presidency humanitarian work, which at the time included advancing the peace process in Sudan, fighting malaria in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and monitoring the presidential election in Zambia. Carter and his wife were also volunteers and advocates for Habitat for Humanity, a key partner to the City of Phoenix on affordable housing. According to the Habitat for Humanity website, the Carters renovated or repaired more than 4,447 homes in 14 countries.
Phoenix City Council selected Arizona-based architectural firm Krause as the winner of the C40 Cities Reinventing Cities Initiative to develop Phoenix’s Resource Innovation Campus.
The Council voted to enter into a contract with Arizona-based architectural firm Krause to develop Phoenix’s Resource Innovation Campus. Through its design, Krause and their collaborators will target a fully carbon-positive building and Living Building Challenge certification, the most rigorous sustainability certification in the world. The campus's design will move the needle for the City of Phoenix’s goal of achieving 50% waste diversion by 2030 and zero waste by 2050, becoming a lynchpin to Arizona’s future, serving as an incubator for public-private partnerships and fostering sustainable business growth in the region.
“Phoenix has been a national leader in developing circular economy solutions that divert materials from landfills and turn waste into resources. This is an exciting step forward that builds upon this leadership and promises transformational, sustainable development in an important part of our city,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “Twenty acres of unused land at the 27th Avenue transfer station will be designed for the Resource Innovation Campus, redefining how the built environment and the circular economy can be interwoven in a transformation development that celebrates the beauty of the Rio corridor and provides amenities for our community to enjoy. Combining state-of-the-art technologies with an innovative, community-minded design creates a new vision for a resilient desert business park that our residents can be proud of.”
The 20-acre site of the future RIC is just south of the central business district at the 27th Avenue Transfer Station campus in the Estrella Village community. Estrella Village has been a manufacturing hub in Phoenix for more than half a century. The RIC provides an opportunity for job growth and economic revitalization in this historic area, and intersects with Senator John McCain’s legacy project, Rio Reimagined, which was created to restore and strengthen more than 55 miles along the Salt River and Gila River and create educational and promotional opportunities to protect the river's ecosystems.
“Our design approach to Phoenix’s Resource Innovation Campus begins where the typical approach ends. Rather than seeking incremental improvements, we went beyond checklist-minded sustainability certifications in an effort to truly give back to the community and our environment through design,” said Michael Krause, Partner & Senior Designer at Krause. “RIC’s design will provide companies the opportunity to develop and research new technologies, ultimately creating a circular economy that benefits local business and residential communities alike.”
The C40 Reinventing Cities competition strives to promote the development of zero-carbon developments worldwide and support local economies by repurposing underutilized sites and integrating innovative solutions to environmental and urban challenges.