Phoenix council continues vote on Tanner Thomas veterans housing after community concerns; sets March 5 follow-up

The Phoenix City Council on Feb. 19 continued action on a proposed supplemental funding allocation for Tanner Thomas Village for Veterans, setting the item for March 5 to allow more time for community engagement and for the developer to address conditions the council requested.

Councilwoman Hodge Washington, who moved for the continuance after first proposing approval with conditions, said the council’s role at this point is to consider supplemental funding rather than zoning. She outlined expected conditions for any approval: 24-hour on-site security; in-person, on-site case management and behavioral health/substance-abuse treatment provided Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a public, comprehensive operational plan shared with neighbors; and a community contact (telephone and email) with a response within two business days. “We want to make sure that they have the likelihood of success,” Hodge Washington said as she explained the conditions she originally sought to attach to funding.

Developers and veterans’ groups testified in favor of the project during the meeting. The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Thomas Sr., pastor of historic Tanner African…