Supervisor Steve Gallardo, District 5, County Manager Joy Rich, and other state, county, and local officials were on hand this morning to celebrate the grand opening of Madison Heights, a new public housing community in Avondale.
“This is just one example of what we can do when we come together,” said Gallardo. “This public-private partnership will provide a great benefit for the residents of Maricopa County.”
Madison Heights is something new: the first affordable housing project in Arizona funded by the federal “Rental Assistance Demonstration” (RAD) program. The program, launched in 2012, allows the creation of public-private partnerships to renovate or rebuild aging public housing sites. The Madison Heights project involved demolishing 77 barrack-style units, built in 1973, and replacing them with 143 energy-efficient units with air conditioners, washers/dryers, dishwashers, and microwaves.
“It’s so rewarding to see the faces of the people moving into these new homes in a place so close to schools, jobs, and shopping,” said Gloria Munoz, Executive Director of The Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC).
The site, near Van Buren Street and Dysart Road, was targeted for renovation because of its rundown condition, as well as its central location in old town Avondale. HAMC teamed up with Gorman & Company, Inc., one of the nation’s largest affordable housing developers, to renovate Madison Heights. HAMC will oversee operation and management of the property. Maricopa County Human Services helped fund construction, and now will provide workforce development, youth programs, and other on-site services to residents.
“There is a great need in our community for affordable housing. So it’s exciting that more than 140 families now have a place that they can call home,” said Supervisor Gallardo. “But we can’t stop there. We have to continue to invest in these partnerships and have these conversations about taking care of the families and individuals who need our help the most.”
The project invested $30 million in Avondale and was completed on time and within budget.
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