The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Community Development Department broke ground for 18 new two-bedroom, two-bathroom housing units located east of the Canalside Homes. The groundbreaking was held on Saturday, May 14, and featured an opening prayer by Council member Michael Dallas. 

CDD Director Stacey Gubser provided a brief history of the area where the new rentals are located. 

“About 20 or 25 years ago, this neighborhood started out with some funding that we received from the state housing department called low-income tax credits. That brought an outside investor to bring in about $6 to $8 million to build the first 60 homes out here,” said Gubser. “We then received a grant from HUD (the Department of Housing and Urban Development) to build the infrastructure for Canalside III and IV, which is now called Mesquite Trails. We received another grant from HUD to build a neighborhood center and young adults’ transitional home. Outside funding to plant the seeds for this neighborhood was about $12 million of other people’s money to help launch this and bring Community investment for the future of the Community’s young people and families.”

SRPMIC President Martin Harvier gave a welcome address and explained that these homes are providing more members of the Community the opportunity to get housing. 

“[A] Community survey … revealed the need for [additional] housing,” said Harvier. “We need more units [for people] to live in. I appreciate staff for the work they’re doing to get these projects going. Also thank you to Council, who has made it a priority to put housing on the top of the list for our Community members.”

David Dallas of MayDall Construction, LLC, will be the contractor on this project. Dallas and the MayDall team have assisted with the construction of a number of buildings in the Community, including the Cultural Repository, Police Evidence and Storage Facility, Way of Life Facility, Scottsdale Auto Show and the Water Treatment Facility. 

Council Representative David Antone commented on the efforts to provide more housing in the Community. 

“It takes everybody involved to get this task done, and I think everyone who is here has had a part in getting this done—MayDall [Construction], along with President Harvier, Council members Wi-bwa Grey and [Michael] Dallas,” said Antone. “When I came on Council in 2014, housing was always an issue, but it’s getting done all these years later.”

The rent on the new units will be set at Community market rates because the units are being added to an existing subdivision. The construction period will be 16 to 18 months. 

The Mesquite Trails housing project is one of four groundbreaking events that took place during May. There will be an expansion on Lonely Cactus, adding six new two-bedroom, two-bathroom units. There will be 14 new two-bedroom, two-bathroom units for the PALS (Social Services Young Adult Program) and Transitional Housing and Temporary Housing with 31 single and double tiny living units. 

For more information on housing in the Community, contact the CDD at (480) 362-7600.