Arizona’s Largest Backpack Drive to Impact over 10,000 Families with School Supplies
7th Annual ‘Phoenix Tools 4 School’ Also Provides College Readiness Workshops to Students

PHOENIX – In an effort to support local families with the cost of their kids returning to school, the HeroZona Foundation will host their 7th Annual ‘Phoenix Tools 4 School’ on Saturday, July 27, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix (7050 South 24th Street, about 15 minutes East of Laveen Village).

“Our goal is to make sure that Arizona students focus on getting a good education, instead of worrying about how to purchase the basic supplies necessary to start the year,” says U.S. Army Desert Storm Veteran and Co-Founder of the HeroZona Foundation, Alan “AP” Powell. “Through providing the resources necessary for their school year, we are investing in our future leaders and building stronger communities.”

Phoenix Tools 4 School was voted the Best Annual Charity Event for the 2019 Best Of Our Valley Awards with Arizona Foothills Magazine. In just six years, the Phoenix Tools 4 School annual event has impacted over 40,000 students and family members by providing them with supplies needed for their education, such as book bags, notebooks, writing utensils and more. The event will also host college prep workshops, games and a free breakfast. The event is free and open to the public and this year’s event is expected to draw an estimated 15,000 attendees. This event is open to all students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. Supplies are limited, so attendees are encouraged to show up early.

For the second year in a row, Phoenix Tools 4 School will offer workshops from Maricopa Community Colleges and Arizona State University for 7th and 8th grade students to prepare them on their path to higher education. The event will have a carnival atmosphere with attractions and games for the kids and their families after they pick up their backpacks. Special guest appearances will be made by Baxter, the mascot of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Sparky, the mascot of Arizona State University and the Phoenix Suns’ Gorilla.

This year’s event is supported by community partners such as APS, UPS, Bank of America, Crescent Crown Distributing, Maricopa Community Colleges, ASU and Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering will provide the students with the free breakfast. Other event partners include Roosevelt Elementary School District, No. 66, Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65, Laveen School District, Phoenix Suns, Cesar Chavez Foundation, water delivery by Fry’s, and supply discounts from Dollar Days International. Supporters include Greater Phoenix Urban League, First Institutional Baptist Church and Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. They will also have media partners on-site such as Mega 104.3, The Beat 101.1 and La Campesina 101.9.

On Thursday, July 25, the HeroZona Foundation, community partners and Valley volunteers will begin prep for the event by packing the backpacks for the event at South Mountain Community College. Those interested in volunteering should go to HeroZona.org/volunteer.

For more information about the Phoenix Tools 4 School event on July 27, visit herozona.org.

About HeroZona Foundation
The HeroZona Foundation has a strong focus on veteran initiatives and honoring those who have served our country and their family members. The nonprofit’s name reflects that messaging to focus on empowering and celebrating America’s veterans. Their most recent event, the HeroZona National Veteran Summit, was a multi-day engagement with three pillars to empower Arizona’s veterans through entrepreneurship, employment and education. The HeroZona Foundation’s annual HeroZona National Veteran Summit created a multi-day networking experience to improve America’s support of veteran companies through workshops, networking, entrepreneurial connections, and seminars. Other programs include the Bridge Forum, Phoenix Tools 4 School, Veterans Reach to Teach and Voting for Veterans. For more information, visit herozona.org

The post HeroZona back-to-school event set for July 27 at South Mountain Community College appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

This article appears in the April edition of the South Mountain District News

Multiple economic factors are driving renewed interested along the Baseline Corridor in South Phoenix and Laveen, including plans to extend the city’s light rail system into the area by 2023 and the long-anticipated South Mountain Freeway to open in 2019.
Development along the rural foothills will be guided by the Baseline Area Master Plan adopted in 1997 and part of the city’s General Plan. City planners noted in the document that: “After extensive discussions with area property owners and residents, the overriding theme of the Plan became promotion of development which respects and preserves the lifestyle in the area.”
Lori Quan, a deputy director of community and economic development for the city, said that whenever transportation corridors grant greater access to an area, “it opens up a lot more opportunities for commercial development.”
As investors eye the potential value of the estimated 2,700 acres of under-developed land along Baseline, pressure to change zoning to accommodate denser housing development, as well as retail and commercial growth, is intensifying.
In November, a Scottsdale investment company, BLC Realty Advisors, purchased the 19.3 acres that once housed Gardener’s World, 3401 E. Baseline Road in Phoenix. The nursery, run by the Petterson family, closed in late 2013 after co-founder Gary Petterson died in February of that year.
His wife and business partner, Sharon, said she and their children retained the landscaping portion of the business until December of last year when that was sold to Gilbert-based TerraVerde Landscape Solutions. Her daughter, Kari, became marketing director at TerraVerde.
“I am still at the office and closing down things – getting the bookkeeping done,” Petterson said. “There are still so many things to finish, but I am kind of ready to go.”
Gardener’s World was the go-to place for decades for landscaping companies, as well as many of the new homeowners flooding into Awhatukee, South Mountain and Laveen villages during the housing boom. But closing and selling the business hasn’t been an easy process.
“It’s been a real challenge in that it’s a mixed-used agricultural designation and that kept us from being able to sell,” she said. “For developers to get something going, the zoning will have to be changed.”
John Bullington, owner at BLC Realty Advisors, says his hope is to sell part of the property for low-density housing (two structures per acre) while keeping the front portion of the property for agricultural and or commercial use. One possible lead for the property was a farm-to-table restaurant, but unfortunately Bullington said that particular deal didn’t work out.
“We would love someone to come in and use the existing structure and the tree out front for a similar purpose,” he said. “We want to keep our neighbors happy.”
He also agreed with the premise that the improved transportation to the Baseline Corridor will spark renewed interest in development in the South Phoenix area, noting that improved infrastructure is a plus for the community.
Andrew Crosson, senior vice president of acquisitions at Arcis Equity Partners, the nation’s second-largest owner of daily fee golf courses and country clubs, including The Raven, said emphatically in an interview that “We are not selling Raven for development.” The Raven is one of the cornerstones of our portfolio,” Crosson said.
Arcis owns and or operates 73 properties nationwide. Crosson said that The Raven and other properties in their portfolio are being evaluated for redevelopment potential with Arcis’ partner, Ridgewood Real Estate Partners. Ridgewood is a New Jersey-based residential real estate developer, investor and advisory company specializing in land. Ridgewood has two Arizona projects, Bridges at Gilbert and Parkside Village Avondale.
Crosson said Ridgewood and Arcis are jointly reviewing several properties to determine future development opportunities. “At this point, it’s very early in the process.” If redevelopment were to happen at The Raven, zoning would have to be changed, the city’s general plan amended and it would have to make “economic and political sense” to move forward, he said.
For The Raven, preliminary plans would be for a housing development, he said, along with open space buffers being part of the project. But again, Crosson emphasized everything is in the study phase only. “This is just a concept. We are looking at several properties in our portfolio. It’s a time-consuming and unpredictable process and it would have to be economically and politically feasible.”
Samantha Keating, village planner for Laveen and East Camelback, said the process to change zoning or to amend the General Plan requires numerous steps, including public input from nearby property owners, review by the appropriate village planning committee and public hearings. The process can take four to six months and outcomes depend on factors specific to each request. “It really depends on the specifics of the proposal. We look at each case individually,” she said.
Quan’s department works hand-in-hand with planners such as Keating to ensure the city recruits businesses that will bring jobs and retail to the area while following the vision set by planners.
“We follow the guiding documents and the vision set down by planners to ensure a balance between the commercial development and the needs of residents,” Quan said.
For the Petterson family, selling the last of the Gardner’s World assets signals an end to an era. For the Baseline Corridor, this might signal the beginning of a new era of development.

The post Baseline Corridor drawing renewed interest appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

(This article first appeared in the print edition of the South Mountain District News on March 7, 2016)

After a six-year hiatus, Laveen residents are relaunching this month a Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol to drive through multiple neighborhoods at least once a month in an effort to deter crime and report suspicious activity.

PNPs are partnerships between the Phoenix Police Department and residents who undergo at least four hours of training through the department. The patrols originated from Block Watches in 1984 as Block Watch on Patrol but quickly became separate action groups that assist police in reducing neighborhood crime.

“I think it makes the neighborhoods a better place,” said Officer Julie Egea, community programs sergeant for Maryvale-Estrella Precinct, which oversees police services in Laveen. “They really do make a difference. I don’t live in all the neighborhoods that I patrol. You guys bring things to our attention things that we wouldn’t necessarily see. You see things that aren’t normal in your neighborhood.”

Wendy Ensminger, president of the Laveen Association of HOAs, said the Laveen PNP volunteers are planning their first patrol this month.

“Our hope is to have at least five cars,” Ensminger said. “We will pick a night, and then go out for a couple of hours. Each car will have a map and a minimum of two people. We’ll have a navigator, driver and everyone will be connected by radio.”

Officer Angie Shuman, community programs officer for the precinct, said individuals who complete PNP training get magnets for their car doors, T-shirts and ID badges. “Our hope is that (the criminals) do see it as a deterrent because of all the eyes that are being vigilant.”

In the South Mountain Precinct, Officer Holly Dancy is point person for the PNP. She said that typical issues the neighborhood patrols report in her area are graffiti and suspicious activity.

Graffiti, suspicious cars, suspicious people who don’t seem to be the norm in the neighborhood — that’s the majority of the reports,” said Dancy, who joined the PNP program in July. “I don’t have annual stats, but every month the teams submit the hours they were out on the street.”

Dancy said she has observed multiple successes with PNP. For example, if the teams report that a particular address has a lot of people coming and going, or cars coming and going, at odd hours then she can turn over the information to a task force.

“We pass that along to our drug enforcement or neighborhood enforcement teams to work,” she said. “We’ve had numerous successes with that.”

The PNP training emphasizes being visible while avoiding confrontations. Training covers patrol procedures, observation skills, the 9-1-1 system, reporting techniques, confrontation avoidance, safety practices and Block Watch grants.

A rash of robberies in February, including an armed holdup of the Safeway gas station at the southeast corner of 51^st Avenue and Baseline Road, sparked a lot of community concern, particularly on social media about crime in Laveen. “When crime happens in Laveen, word gets out quickly via multiple social media pages,” Ensminger said.

Community Action Officer Brandy Carter noted at a recent LA-HOA meeting, that police have targeted that intersection with a Neighborhood Enforcement Team. Although Carter did not provide statistics, she and Sgt. Egea both said violent crime in the area has decreased in the three months since the taskforce was assigned.

Ensminger is hopeful to see the same sort of results in property and neighborhood crimes when the PNP takes to the streets.

“The PNP members will know how to call in good information for the police to follow up with, whether it’s immediate or part of follow-up,” Ensminger said. “We are taught to be excellent observers of all information to provide the best leads and possibility of crimes getting solved.”

Phoenix police offer the trainings on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to Noon at the Mountain View Precinct’s Community Room, 2075 E. Maryland Ave, with the next training class set for March 12. Other classes are slated for May 14, July 16, Sept. 10 and Nov. 5.

To become a member of the Laveen PNP, residents must be at least 18 years old, possess a valid driver’s license or Arizona identification card and have completed the PNP training class.

“There’s nothing security-like about it, nothing vigilante about it,” Ensminger said. “They have to be certified and trained so they know what their rights and responsibilities are. All PNP members have to adhere to the rules and regulations that they are trained.”

In 2014 PNP members citywide logged over 27,000 miles and volunteered over 44,000 hours of their time to their neighborhood, according to the Phoenix Police web site.

The post Laveen Residents Re-Launching Neighborhood Patrol appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

(This article appears in the February 2016 print  issue of the South Mountain District News)

Home prices for existing homes rose throughout the South Mountain and Laveen village areas during 2015, a steady trend that local realtors predict will continue throughout 2016.

“I like this kind of steady increase. It’s not only good for the buyers, but it’s good for sellers,” said Sam Lawmaster, a Laveen resident and a  Realtor with Realty One. “The economy has improved and interests are staying low, so there are still people buying. When you have historically low interest rates and inventory as low as it, it’s typical supply and demand and house prices start to rise.”

For the Laveen area with ZIP code 85339, the average sales price for an existing home increased from $188,894 in 2014 to $198,535 in 2015, an increase of 5.1 percent. In neighboring South Mountain Village, prices were up nearly 22 percent at $118,990 in ZIP 85040 and up 8.1 percent to $164,857 in 85041. In the 85042 area, prices increased 7.25 percent to $189,025.

According to Victor Vidales, owner at ReMax New Heights Realty in south Phoenix, prices for January appear to be continuing the trend.

The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service’s Pending Price Index projected a median sales price for January 2016 of $212,000 and it ended at $210,000 compared to $194,700 in 2015.

Vidales said that January started off with 7,486 Pending or listings Under Contract compared to 6,731 last year. In January of 2015, ARMLS reported 4,784 sales, this year we had 5,433 sales for January 2016.

“This is a great sign and a great way to start the year,” Vidales said. “I believe our local real estate market will continue to be strong throughout 2016 but there are national concerns with the overall economy that could impact our local market and the type of year we have.”

For example, he cited recent volatility in the financial markets and some nervousness on the part of the Federal Reserve Bank about the health of the U.S. economy, and slow Gross Domestic Product growth in the fourth quarter of last year.

“These factors have reminded us all that economic and real estate market cycles are alive and well. As for now, values are strong and inventory levels are still at record lows with high demand for the affordability offered in our south Phoenix and Laveen communities. We are still the best bang for the buck when you compare our housing stock to the rest of the Valley.”

Doyle Perry, a Realtor and owner of Black Realty in Laveen, said he expects prices to continue climbing as the year progresses with more sales during the spring and summer months. “I see a lot more people looking now,” Perry noted.

He also believes that when the South Mountain Freeway – currently under legal review — is formally under way, the housing market in Laveen will gain more ground. “Once the freeway becomes certain, within a year that will crank up the market.”

The number of days a house stayed on the market in 2015 vs. 2014 decreased in 85339 and 85040, but remained flat in 85041 and 85042. Total number of homes sold rose in 85339, 85041 and 85042, but were one less in 85040 when compared with 2014.

Lawmaster said new homes being built by Beazer and Richmond American, as well as other builders, also will help prices for existing homes. He noted that several residential developments that have been largely dormant since the real estate market crash in 2008, are now adding homes to the once vacant lots. In addition, new retail and other construction is exploding along Baseline Road.

“All the new builds and the new businesses, the new commercial and residential along the Baseline corridor are really adding value to this area,” Lawmaster said.

Here’s a breakdown of the four ZIP code areas:

85339 – Average Sales Price rose 5.10 percent between 2014 and 2015, from $188,894 in 2014 to $198,535 in 2015.  Total number of sales also rose year-over-year by 18.4 percent with 875 homes sold in 85339 in 2015, an increase of 136 sales over 2014.  The number of days to sell a home in Laveen decreased 11.84 percent; in 2014 it took 76 days on average to sell a home versus 67 days in 2015.

85040 – The average sales price of homes in 2015 was $118,990, up 21.83 percent over 2014.  Total number of sales in the ZIP code remained flat at 324 residential sales in 2015 versus 325 in 2014.  The average number of days to sell a home decreased from 59 in 2014 to 45 in 2015.

85041 – 2015 saw an increase of 8.12 percent in the sales price of homes in the ZIP code over 2014, with homes selling for an average price of $164,857 during 2015.  There was a 10.1 percent increase in the number of completed sales in 2015 over 2014, rising to 796 homes sold in 2015, an increase of 73 completed home sales year-over-year.  Number of days to sell a home remained relatively flat in 85041, with 66 average days in 2015 and 67 days in 2014.

85042 – The average sales price of homes in 2015 was $189,025, up 7.25 percent over 2014. Total number of sales in the ZIP code increased 6.2 percent at 534 residential sales in 2015 versus 503 in 2014.  The average number of days to sell a home remained the same year- over-year at 63 days.

The post Home prices rise throughout South Mountain and Laveen appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

(This article appears in the print edition of the South Mountain District News)

PHOENIX – Affordable public transportation to jobs, schools, businesses, colleges, churches and downtown Phoenix, as well as increased opportunity for economic development  are among the reasons south Phoenix residents are celebrating the city’s January decision to expedite extending light rail into the area 11 years sooner than originally planned.

“I think it’s going to be an economic engine for our community,” said Petra Falcon, executive director of Promise Arizona and an active community leader in helping get Proposition 104 passed in August 2015, which will help pay for the city’s improved transportation plans known as Transportation 2050.

“People who are tired of the crowded streets will be able to jump on the light rail and get to events, school and jobs,” said Falcon, herself a lifelong resident of south Phoenix. “Bringing the light rail to the base of (South Mountain) means our families will be able to connect all across the city and very inexpensively.”

Lars Jacoby, spokesman for the Phoenix Public Transit Department, said ridership on public transportation in the south central Phoenix area is among the highest in the city, with Council Districts 4, 7 and 8 all showing more than 20,000 weekly riders. He said that is part of the reasoning behind the city’s decision to expedite transportation plans in the community.

“Because south Phoenix has a significant transit ridership, many of whom are dependent on transit as their sole means of transportation, combined with the strong federal interest in this project, the Phoenix City Council supported the recommendation to accelerate this project,” he said in a statement.

Victor Vidales, chief executive officer for ReMax New Heights Realty in south central Phoenix and also a lifelong resident of the area, served on the South Central Light Rail Citizens Advisory Commission.

“It creates a lot of opportunity for balance between being too excited and understanding the work that needs to happen now that the timeline has been shortened,” Vidales said. “Before light rail comes in there have to be programs in place to assist residents and business before, during and after construction.”

Jacoby said city officials have learned from light rail construction elsewhere in the Valley how to better mitigate the impact construction can have on residents and small businesses. Jacoby, who also lives in south Phoenix, says the city will be proactive in listening to concerns from residents and the multiple mom-and-pop business owners.

“Families and businesses will all benefit from the connectivity and be able to thrive,” Falcon said. “But we have to make sure that we work to protect our long-term residents and businesses along the construction route.”

Vidales agrees.

“We have a lot of mom-and-pop stores and a lot of diversity, schools, churches and other institutions along the route,” he said. “They must be brought into the conversation. We also are being taxed as community leaders to come together with the city and Valley Metro to get the most comprehensive plan that we can by working together and not conflicting with each other.”

Prop. 104 went into effect Jan. 1, increasing the city’s sales tax to 8.6 percent from 8.3 percent to fund a variety of transportation projects, including increased bus service and routes, street improvements, infrastructure and potential light rail expansion into Paradise Valley Mall, 79th Avenue, Grand Canyon University, Metrocenter Mall and south Phoenix.

Councilman Michael Nowakowski, D-7, supports the plan and believes it will bring long-term economic prosperity to the area.

“The extension will promote much needed economic activity, including affordable housing, commerce and other development,” he said. “Businesses along the completed light rail line will see an influx of customers as the area becomes a hub for economic development.”

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton began pushing for the transportation proposal in 2014 when he established a citizen’s committee to draft a plan in advance of 2020, when the city’s .04 sales tax was slated to end.

“Because Phoenix voters made a historic investment in public transit, we’re able to accelerate high-capacity transit projects to meet more immediate community and mobility needs,” Stanton said in a statement. “The adjustments to the transportation plan are critically important to further the city’s economic development, sustainability and accessibility goals.”

Phoenix City Council approved the plans on Jan. 26, which include accelerating segments of the future high-capacity/light rail transit system to advance into the Regional Transportation Plan. The changes will be sent to the Valley Metro Boards of Directors and the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council for discussion and final adoption into the plan this summer, according to the city’s announcement.

Jacoby said that as plans move forward, city officials will undertake several steps to assist businesses and residents during construction.

“Over the last four years, transit staff has worked with the community and businesses to obtain input for the future light rail extension into south Phoenix. That outreach has shaped the next steps Phoenix and Valley Metro will take to prepare stakeholders, specifically business owners, to develop and implement an early action business assistance program,” Jacboy explained.

Some of those steps will include: meetings with business owners to understand their concerns, their business models and needed resources. There also will be business support meetings and workshops, city partnerships with local non-profits, business chambers, community-based organizations, and others that specialize in small business assistance.

He said the transit department used this approach recently on light rail’s Northwest Extension.

“Over the years we have learned a lot about partnering with local businesses to ensure they remain active during light rail construction,” Jacoby said. “Each community has specific needs and we plan on working with businesses to develop the best possible business outreach program each time we approach a new light rail construction project.

The post City expedites light rail extension into south Phoenix appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.