Hope VI Project in Phoenix

The city of Phoenix was awarded the Hope VI grant to rebuild the historic Matthew Henson Public Housing. Since the completion of Matthew Henson Village construction to create the new Krohn West Hope VI community is in progress. The objectives of the Hope VI project are as follows:

HOPE VI Purpose and Criteria

• Reconstruct severely distressed and obsolete public housing units
• Revitalize neighborhood and create economic investment in the area
• Create incentives to encourage investment and form public / private partnerships
• Develop job linkages, training, and educational resources for area residents
• Establish mixed-use, mixed-income development and create homeownership opportunities
• Attract commercial and retail businesses

I have had the pleasure of spending some time in the new Matthew Henson Facilities and the Hope VI community center. In my opinion, this grant money was well spent. Matthew Henson Village is a clean and cozy neighborhood, full off fantastic amenities. Matthew Henson Park has a clubhouse, a playground, and a pool complete with a splash pad for young children. The Hope VI center offers plenty of community meeting places and many individual development classes for community members. In addition, there is a childcare center, a computer lab and a job resource center.

The thing I was most impressed with is the Senior Tower, an independent living affordable housing facility for seniors. Walking into the tower I was extremely impressed; the beautiful lobby looks that of an upscale hotel. It has soft couches, a fireplace and plenty of open meeting places for socializing. In addition, there is a pool with a large patio with tables, chairs and a barbecue.

In a small section of Henson Village, several of the original buildings have been preserved as a historical landmark. The small, rectangular buildings that once filled this area are in stark contrast to the beautiful work the City of Phoenix has done with this project