Subcommittee approves $2.15 million boost for Phoenix block watch grants; gated-alley program seeks $2.25 million annual allocation

Phoenix’s Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee voted unanimously May 7 to approve the Neighborhood Block Watch oversight committee’s recommendations for the 2025 grant awards and to increase the block watch program’s annual allocation from $2,000,000 to $2,150,000.

The vote followed a presentation by Assistant Chief Jeff Benza, the police representative to the oversight committee, and staff from Neighborhood Services and Human Services who described the application process, scoring rules and the volume of requests the program received for 2025.

The oversight committee recommended full funding for 158 applications, partial funding for 13 applications and denial for six applications. Benza told the subcommittee that a total of $2,154,711 is needed to fund the recommended awards. The 2025 application period opened in November 2024 and closed Dec. 7, 2024; applications that scored at least 5.25 out of 10 on the committee’s rubric were considered for funding.

"The goal of the block watch grant program is to enhance safety and the quality of life through empowerment of community groups," Benza said, describing the program’s origins and eligibility rules. He noted the program was created after voters approved Proposition 301, the neighborhood protection ordinance, in October 1993 and that the council adopted program guidelines in April 1994.

The oversight committee’s scoring breakdown, as staff described it, allocates 50% of points to crime-prevention and quality-of-life factors, 20% to the applicant’s proposed budget, 20% to community involvement, and 10% to project viability and feasibility. Benza said the fund balance will allow the requested increase to $2.15 million.

Neighborhood Services Director Spencer Self briefed the subcommittee on the gated-alley program, which has been financed substantially with block watch funding. Self said staff have 166 alley segments either gated or in progress, with 48 additional requests being vetted. "At the rate the requests are coming in, we're projected to fully expend the $3,000,000 by August," he said, and noted staff installed the program’s 1,000th gate in March.

Because demand for gated alleys has surged — staff reported an average of more than 25 requests per month this year and a record 45 new applications in April — Self asked the subcommittee to consider a separate annual allocation of $2.25 million from the neighborhood block watch program beginning next fiscal year, contingent on fund availability. He said that amount would support the installation of approximately 200 alley segments per year.

During the meeting, Councilmember Waring moved to approve the oversight committee’s recommendations; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Chair Tara Robinson cast the final vote; Vice Mayor O’Brien seconded the motion on the floor.

The subcommittee’s action approved the oversight committee’s recommendations and the requested increase to the block watch grant program. The gated-alley funding request was presented as a staff ask contingent on fund availability; the transcript records the ask but does not show a separate formal vote on the $2.25 million alley allocation at this meeting.

Several public-comment speakers at the meeting addressed public safety priorities more broadly, urging the city to prioritize police and fire funding; those remarks were heard before the grant vote but did not change the subcommittee’s recorded recommendation.

The subcommittee did not adopt new scoring rules at this meeting; staff said they provide coaching and outreach to applicants (through the grants coordinator) to help groups improve future applications. The approved list includes 158 fully funded awards, 13 partially funded awards and six denials, and staff reported that applicants who were denied or partially funded were notified and district offices were emailed about the committee’s recommendations.