PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA — The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Pima County Justice Services Department and the YWCA Southern Arizona to search for ways to eliminate racial and ethnic inequities in Pima County’s local justice system.

The two-year project is part of the Safety and Justice Challenge, a $300 million national initiative to reduce overincarceration and address racial and ethnic disparities in local criminal justice systems by changing the way America thinks about and uses jails.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to accept the County’s $239,000 portion of the grant.

Pima County was one of four jurisdictions selected to join the SJC’s Racial Equity Cohort, where they will work in partnership with local community partners to focus on racial and ethnic equity in the criminal justice system by examining the experiences of Black, indigenous and Latinx people and other people of color and authentically engaging the community.

This funding will provide Justice Services and the YWCA with training and technical assistance focused on racial equity and authentic community engagement; peer-to-peer support from other cohort members; and qualitative and quantitative data and analytic support. As co-leads, Justice Services and the YWCA will work to address national and local drivers of racial inequities.

While Justice Services and the YWCA enter into this cohort in partnership, each partner agency will focus on distinct strategies. Justice Services aims to create new data management systems to better understand where disparities occur in the justice system and to implement data-driven decision making and targeted interventions. The YWCA will focus on community engagement, including listening sessions and creating a racial justice center, as well as community investment through youth interventions and microgrants.

The creation of the Racial Equity Cohort is part of the MacArthur Foundation’s commitment to racial equity and listening to the voices of people most impacted by the justice system. The new funding and support announced today is part of that commitment to learning about and investing in more intentional and effective strategies to eliminate institutional and systemic racism within the justice system.

The foundation also acknowledges that the efforts and focus of this cohort on the justice system are only part of what must be a multifaceted and multisystem approach to achieving true racial equity and justice.

“We recognize that it has taken generations to manifest the inequity and biases we see in our society today, and, in turn, it will take a significant amount of time to manifest the changes we wish to see,” said Kate Vesely, director of Pima County Justice Services.

“Pima County has already taken steps toward developing a more equitable justice system, but to truly create the systemic change that will improve our community for generations to come we must begin the most difficult work,” Vesely continued. “We must listen to the stories of those who have been impacted in some way by the justice system and look closely at what stories the data is trying to tell us.”

Magdalena Verdugo, CEO of the YWCA Southern Arizona, said, “We understand that real change takes deep listening, trust-building and figuring out systems that often perpetuate inequality. We are excited to have been selected by the partners of the Safety and Justice Challenge and we appreciate the faith and trust that has been instilled in us.

“Being at the table and having the opportunity to work with Pima County Justice Services is a good and right step toward system change,” Verdugo added. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to reimagine and plan for change at a local level.”

Laurie Garduque, the MacArthur Foundation’s director of criminal justice, added, “While the Safety and Justice Challenge has been successful in reducing local jail populations, it has also taught us that this alone will not eliminate racial disparities in the criminal justice system. By pairing the leadership of people most impacted by mass incarceration with the expertise of government partners, we hope this cohort of jurisdictions will challenge systemic racism in our justice systems and create policies and practices to sustain long-term change.”

The other three cities or counties selected to participate in the Racial Equity Cohort are Cook County, Illinois; New Orleans; and Philadelphia.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – ABI Multifamily, the leading multifamily brokerage and advisory services firm in the Western US, is pleased to announce the $3,790,000 / $180,476 Per Unit / $263.19 Per SF sale of Vara, a 21-unit multifamily apartment community located at 2922 North 35th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018 . ABI Multifamily’s John Klocek, and Patrick Burch represented the buyer in this transaction.

Vara features 21 units consisting of (19) one-bedroom / one-bathroom units and (2) two-bedroom / one-bathroom units. The property is in a prime South Arcadia location and is gated for extra privacy. The property was built using block construction in 1968 and was modestly renovated in 2017. Each unit is individually metered for electricity. There is still a value-add opportunity through additional interior and exterior renovations.

The property is minutes away from a multitude of local area amenities including: the Biltmore District, 7th Street Restaurant Row, SR-51 freeway, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. This property is also located near the Camelback Corridor, which continues to grow and combines significant office space with trendy restaurants and high-end retail establishments. Within a bike’s ride distance, tenants are sure to enjoy the boutique eateries which include La Grande Orange Restaurant, The Porch, The Vig, and much more.

The buyer is based in California and the seller is based in California.

TUCSON, Arizona – Sundt Construction Inc. promoted Keegan Abele to assistant project manager for the Building Group in Tucson. He will serve as the assistant project manager for the new Tucson International Airport Hangar replacement which broke ground in early January.

“Throughout his time at Sundt, Keegan has shown real dedication and passion towards his work,” said Ian McDowell, Vice President and Regional Director in Sundt’s Tucson office. “He is very deserving of this promotion, and we are excited to see him continue to grow.”

In 2014, Abele started at Sundt as an intern working on a financial services client’s Chandler campus expansion. Since then, he worked as a project engineer, working on projects such as the Las Cruces High School additions and renovations, the All Seasons Assisted Living facility in Oro Valley as well as Sundt’s own Tucson office remodeling.

Sundt opened its Tucson office in 1929. The company has built notable Southern Arizona landmarks in the decades since, including Kitt Peak Observatory, Loews Ventana Canyon and Fourth Avenue Underpass. The company is currently working on UArizona’s Student Success District, capital improvements at the Tucson Convention Center and the Benedictine Monastery.