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To best protect the safety and wellbeing of our customers and employees, Housing and Community Development is currently conducting business online at www.mesaaz.gov/housing and via the telephone (480-644-3536) and fax (480-644-2923). The offices at 200 S. Center St., Bldg. 1 remain closed. A secured drop box is available at the front entrance of the office to submit changes or requested documents.
Mesa Housing Authority (MHA) is concerned for our Mesa residents, participants, landlords and housing staff. MHA has implemented several changes to our processes to allow continued service to our landlords and participants. Those changes, along with housing forms, are available at www.mesaaz.gov/housing. If you have any questions, please contact your assigned Housing Specialist.
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The City is providing more than $1 million in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) CARES funding to five programs operated by non-profit organizations in Mesa.
| A New Leaf |
Emergency Shelter |
$264,445 |
| Mesa United Way |
Hotel Voucher Program |
$100,000 |
| Community Bridges |
Street Outreach |
$ 80,000 |
| Save The Family |
Rapid Rehousing |
$214,100 |
| Save The Family |
Homeless Prevention |
$358,485 |
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City Council, at its July 8 meeting, approved a resolution authorizing the submittal of the City of Mesa Five-Year Consolidated Plan for fiscal years 2020/2021 through 2024/2025, Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing and the Annual Action Plan for fiscal year 2020/2021 along with applications to receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Five-Year Consolidated Plan is required by HUD to assess community needs and prioritize services provided to meet those needs. The Analysis of Impediments is required to identify impediments that fall within the control of the City and identifies steps to address them. The Annual Action Plan identifies priorities and proposed activities and allocations for CDBG, HOME and ESG funding.
The City has the following HUD funding allocations for FY 20/21:
| CDBG |
$4,066,246 |
| HOME |
$1,510,846 |
| ESG |
$ 327,701 |
| Total: |
$5,904,793 |
This is an increase in funding of 9 percent for CDBG, 11 percent for HOME and 6 percent for ESG. Unallocated funding and program income from the prior fiscal year is also available for eligible CDBG and HOME projects.
The City of Mesa has participated in the CDBG Program for 44 years, the HOME Program for 28 years and the ESG Program for 32 years and has received more than $100 million to deliver critical services including capital improvements, housing, public services, homeless assistance, emergency shelter and transitional housing, and neighborhood improvements.
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The City of Mesa Housing and Community Development will be accepting applications for the CDBG Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program, created due to COVID-19. This is an online application and available in English and Spanish. The online application is located at www.mesaaz.gov/evictionprevention.
Mesa residents (families and individuals) who have legal presence may apply. There are income limits established by HUD based on total household income to determine eligibility. Applicants must have Social Security numbers and birth dates for all family members and total gross annual income from all sources in the household. More information is available at www.mesaaz.gov/evictionprevention.
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City Council has approved a recommendation to receive $63,645 in HUD funding for the new additional 2020 Mainstream Voucher Program. The Mesa Housing Authority has been awarded 9 additional Mainstream Vouchers annually, effective Aug. 1.
The Mainstream Vouchers will assist non-elderly people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk and can also help people who are institutionalized or at risk of it. The individuals or families are pulled from the current Housing Waiting List.
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Preliminary numbers are in from the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) 2020 Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count Jan. 28. Mesa was among several valley cities participating in the one-night street count to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County during a given point in time.
The survey determined 7,419 people experienced homelessness in Maricopa County the night of Jan. 28. This included 51 percent who were unsheltered (living on streets or in a place unfit for human habitation) and 49 percent were sheltered (living in emergency shelter, transitional housing or safe haven programs).
The unsheltered count has been steadily increasing over the years. From 2019 to 2020, the unsheltered count increased at a higher rate (18 percent) than the sheltered (4 percent) and overall PIT Count (11 percent).
In Mesa, the survey found 338 unsheltered people during the 2020 PIT Count. That was a large increase from 206 in 2019 and 144 in 2018.
The PIT Homeless Count includes a brief survey by volunteers to identify some of the characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in our community. Cities, such as Mesa, that receive federal funding for homeless assistance from HUD are required to conduct the annual count. This helps local governments and nonprofit organizations more effectively allocate resources necessary to meet the needs of the homeless population. MAG is expected to have final survey results within a couple of months.
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As part of the Mesa CARES Initiative to meet community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the City created the Feeding Mesa program. City employees from several departments are supporting United Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank and more than 20 other nonprofit agencies who have increased needs due to the impacts of COVID-19. A Mesa Cares community assessment in early April found access to food was the top priority for residents affected by the pandemic’s health and economic challenges.
Among the Feeding Mesa programs:
- A weekly food distribution is coordinated by the City of Mesa and United Food Bank every Friday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Mesa Convention Center. Clients pull up in their cars to register for food boxes. A City staff person or community volunteer places the groceries in the trunk. Social distancing is practiced throughout this process.
- “You Can Make a Difference” canned food drives. Residents are being asked to donate canned goods and other non-perishable food in a series of drive-through donation events throughout the City of Mesa. The next food drive is Saturday, Aug. 22 at Dobson Ranch Golf Course, 2155 S. Dobson Road, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- The City is working with House of Refuge, 6935 E. Williams Field Road, to distribute meal boxes prepared by Midwest Food Bank on Thursdays and Fridays between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Individuals and families who are in need of food assistance are invited to visit House of Refuge once a week. This is a contactless, drive-thru distribution center. A staff person will place the food in the trunk, which needs to be cleaned out to provide enough space.
Feeding Mesa is a City of Mesa program that supports individuals and families impacted by COVID-19. Funding for Feeding Mesa comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
For more information about the Feeding Mesa program, visit www.mesaaz.gov/MesaCARES and click on the “Feeding Mesa” link.
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The City of Mesa is working with nonprofit agencies and businesses to provide supplies of water to people in need during the extreme summer heat. The 14th annual Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign runs through Sept. 25. Residents will be asked to donate water at various drop-off locations throughout the city. For a list of drop-off locations, visit www.mesaaz.gov/H2Omesa.
The water is distributed through United Food Bank to numerous agencies in the valley, including A New Leaf-East Valley Men’s Center, Paz de Cristo and Mesa United Way. This year’s goal is to collect 400,000 bottles of water.
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SAT., AUG. 22. FEEDING MESA CANNED FOOD DRIVE.
Dobson Ranch Golf Course, 2155 S. Dobson Road, 7am-11am
MON., AUG. 24. CITY COUNCIL. 5:45pm
MON., AUG. 31. CITY COUNCIL. 5:45pm
THUR., SEPT. 3. HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD. 6pm
MON., SEPT. 14. CITY COUNCIL. 5:45pm
MON., SEPT. 21. CITY COUNCIL. 5:45pm
THUR., OCT. 1. HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD. 6pm
MON., OCT. 5. CITY COUNCIL. 5:45pm
WED., OCT. 19. CITY COUNCIL. 5:45pm
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