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La Esperanza Terrace opens in West Phoenix after Maricopa County approves $6 million for 96 affordable units
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Summary
La Esperanza Terrace, a 96-unit affordable housing complex on surplus school district land in West Phoenix, opened with $6 million approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. UMOM developed the property; applications are limited to households at or below 60% of area median income.
La Esperanza Terrace, a newly completed 96-unit affordable housing development in West Phoenix, opened after the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved $6 million to help build the project.
The complex includes 32 one-bedroom, 32 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom units. The development — described by officials as Arizona’s first affordable housing community financed through a school district surplus land initiative — will provide on-site employment services and will accept applications from households earning at or below 60% of the area median income.
Arizona native Amanda Torres, speaking during the public remarks, said housing has grown unaffordable in recent years. “Over the last 5 years, housing has become unaffordable for her,” she said. An additional resident said, “It’s really insane. I talked to my neighbors over at the other complex, and they’re like, it’s so stressful. Like, I feel like I’m working paycheck to paycheck.”
Jackson Fonder, chief executive officer of UMOM, the local nonprofit that developed the property, said La Esperanza Terrace is one of 10 housing complexes UMOM has developed over the past 13 years to increase affordable options. “This is one of 10 housing complexes the local nonprofit has developed over the past 13 years in an attempt to get more people into housing they can afford,” Fonder said.
District 5 Supervisor Steve Gallardo said Maricopa County has used American Rescue Plan funds to support affordable housing development and that the school district surplus land approach could be replicated elsewhere. “These are projects that can be duplicated all over Maricopa County. Let it be the East Valley, the North Valley,” Gallardo said.
County officials and project representatives said the property sits in the Isaac Elementary School District on land the district had declared surplus. Leasing offices at La Esperanza Terrace are accepting in-person applications; residents must meet the 60% area median income threshold to qualify.
Maricopa County officials also reported that American Rescue Plan dollars have funded 1,035 affordable housing units in the county so far. Organizers said La Esperanza Terrace will offer on-site employment services to residents but did not specify the provider or the timeline for program rollout.
The new complex is intended as a model for using underutilized school district land to expand affordable housing supply. Project leaders and the county described plans to pursue similar projects across the valley; no additional funding approvals or timelines for new sites were specified in the remarks.
