The City of Scottsdale will spend approximately $1.9 million in community development block grants to help low- and moderate-income families in the city.
The city council voted 7-0 during its …
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
The City of Scottsdale will spend approximately $1.9 million in community development block grants to help low- and moderate-income families in the city.
The city council voted 7-0 during its April 22 meeting to set how the grant money would be spent in Fiscal Year 2025-26.
The city council also approved a consolidated action plan that gives it a strategic vision on how to spend Community Development Block Grant funds for the next five year.
“The lack of affordable housing in Scottsdale is real, and it is severe,” city Councilwoman Maryann McAllen said. “These funds that we’re bringing forward to help those in need is very warranted in our city.”
A breakdown of how the money will be spent includes:
• Public Services - Non-profits that provide homelessness services and shelter nights. They are Family Promise, Community House and Tempe Community Action Agency: $119,360.
• Nonpublic services - housing rehabilitation and emergency and roof repairs for homeowners: $1.1 million.
• HOME Investment Partnerships (for seniors 62 and over who need long-term rental subsidy): $287,299.
• Nonpublic services - facilities/improvements (expansion of the city’s food bank): $166,504.
•Program administration: $227,662.
The city’s top priority is to keep the elderly in their homes, Scottsdale Housing and Community Assistance Manager Mary Witkofski told the council.
“We have approximately 80,000 residents that are aged 62 and older - that is the federal definition of elderly - approximately 6.8% of the elderly are currently living below poverty level here in the City of Scottsdale, putting financial strain on their abilities to afford increasing rents here in the city,” Witkofski.
The city is also focusing on homeless children who qualify for services under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. These homeless children are living on the streets, bunking up with friends or family, or they are living in a car.
Finally, the city is also focusing on it's housing choice voucher program.
“We have approximately 544 families who are currently receiving assistance (through housing vouchers),” said Witkofski.
The city actually has 780 vouchers, but it cannot offer the remaining 236 vouchers because the city is already expending 100% of its budgetory authority due to the rising costs in Scottsdale, Witkofski added.
Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines. J. Graber can be reached at jgraber@iniusa.org.
By 
