A Phoenix apartment complex that was nearly destroyed by arson in 2022 has finally opened its doors. Chicanos Por La Causa celebrated the ribbon-cutting of Revive 25, a 53-unit affordable housing development in the Palomino neighborhood near Loop 101 and State Route 51, marking the end of a years-long rebuild after fire tore through the project when it was about 75% finished.
The fire, which struck in 2022, caused more than $6 million in damage to the site, according to Arizona's Family. Despite the setback, the nonprofit pressed forward, and the completed community now includes 53 apartment homes with family-oriented amenities such as a playground, clubhouse and fitness center, the outlet reports.
Chicanos Por La Causa Inc. formally marked the project's completion with an Oct. 28 ribbon-cutting, according to a report from AZ Big Media, which lists the address as 16801 N. 25th St. in Phoenix. That account notes the finished community includes studio, two- and three-bedroom apartments, though an earlier report from Prensa Arizona had described the project as planned for 53 one- and two-bedroom units for low-income families — a discrepancy the available reporting does not resolve.
A Years-Long Road to Completion
The rebuild drew support from a mix of public and private partners. Project partners include the Arizona Department of Housing, the City of Phoenix, the City of Phoenix Housing Department, Berkadia and National Equity Fund Inc., per the same AZ Big Media account.
Alicia Núñez, president and chief executive of Chicanos por la Causa, framed the project's purpose in terms that go beyond just providing shelter. In comments to Prensa Arizona, she said the affordable homes are intended to help families establish roots and improve educational and financial security, saying, “Son casas asequibles no solo para tener un techo, sino para crear raíces, mejorar la educación y la seguridad financiera.”
A City Grappling With a Housing Gap
Revive 25's opening lands amid a broader push in Phoenix to close a persistent affordable-housing shortfall. City officials estimated in 2024 that Phoenix was short 59,000 units of affordable housing, according to KJZZ. Phoenix had set a 2020 goal of creating 50,000 homes for low-income residents by 2030, and a city official said 49,000 homes had been built by 2024 through collaboration among nonprofits, businesses and government, per Prensa Arizona's reporting.
Just last week, the Phoenix City Council took its own step toward addressing the gap. The council voted unanimously on Oct. 27 on how to spend $15 million sitting in its Housing Trust Fund, KJZZ reported. The largest share, $6 million, will go toward gap financing and low-interest loans to help private and nonprofit developers move affordable projects forward, the station's report notes.
Where the Rest of the Money Goes
Another $4 million from the fund will support low-interest loans for redevelopment initiatives on city-owned properties, according to the same KJZZ account. The plan also sets aside $2 million to offset permitting fees for affordable projects and $1 million toward new pre-approved housing designs meant to speed up permit approvals.
Rounding out the allocation, the council approved $1 million for homeownership programs and $1 million for eviction prevention services. For a neighborhood that watched a near-finished housing project go up in flames in 2022, Revive 25's completion offers a concrete example of what rebuilding — and reinvesting — in affordable housing can look like.
