Maricopa County is being recognized nationally for programs that help individuals and families navigate a world changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The nation’s fastest-growing county received 43 National Achievement Awards this year from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for designing and implementing programs that have made a measurable, positive impact on the community. 12 of those awards went to the Human Services Department, which has been instrumental in providing financial assistance, career coaching, and case management to thousands of residents struggling to pay bills, find jobs, and secure permanent housing.
“I’m proud of our employees’ work to meet residents where they are with services that are timely and accessible. Whether it’s streamlined financial assistance programs or technology that brings government service directly to our residents on their time, NACo is right that these 43 programs are worth emulating across the country,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, District 3.
“Maricopa County has a truly outstanding workforce at all levels, from leadership making sure we are being wise with taxpayer dollars to staff directly interacting with and serving our residents,” said County Manager Joy Rich. “The NACo awards we win year after year are proof that when you join the Maricopa County team, you get to do meaningful, innovative work that benefits the community and is often personally rewarding.”
Below are a few examples of winning programs and their impact.
Micro Estates
The Tempe Micro Estates First Time Homebuyer Program is the result of a partnership between Maricopa County, the City of Tempe, and a local non-profit, Newtown Community Development Corporation. The project includes the construction of 13 environmentally sustainable, single-family homes (600 square feet micro estates) which were sold to qualified, low-income buyers like Nick. Priced out of the rental market and unable to compete with other buyers for larger homes in Tempe, Nick says the home he was able to purchase through the Micro Estates program is the perfect fit for his income and his lifestyle. The purpose of the program is to provide safe, affordable housing in the Tempe urban corridor to help build a strong, stable community.
Domestic Violence Assistance
The Maricopa County Domestic Violence Assistance Program assists thousands of domestic and sexual violence survivors throughout the region. People like Melissa, whose high school sweetheart turned violent, forcing her to make the difficult decision to leave with her kids. Grants provided through the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV) assist various domestic violence shelters and service providers with their ability to maintain and improve services to survivors. As of March 2022, Maricopa County had invested nearly $15 million in federal funding to address an increased need for domestic violence services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For a complete list of Maricopa County’s 2022 NACo award-winning programs, visit the NACo website and search the database for Arizona.