Stand Up for South Phoenix! Protect our Community from Prolonged Light Rail Construction.
Stand Up for South Phoenix! Protect our Community from Prolonged Light Rail Construction.
The Issue
To: Mayor Kate Gallego, the City of Phoenix, and Valley Metro
We, the undersigned residents, business owners, and supporters of South Phoenix, call for immediate action to address the negative impacts of prolonged light rail construction on our community. The South Central Light Rail Extension, while promising improved public transit, has burdened South Phoenix with repeated delays, inadequate communication, and severe economic hardship for local businesses and residents.
Originally slated for completion in 2023, the project has now been delayed to 2025—leaving our neighborhood in a state of disrepair and economic distress.
We stand together to demand transparency, accountability, and fair treatment from City of Phoenix and Valley Metro!
The Issues
1. Economic Impact on Small Businesses: Independent small businesses, the backbone of our community, have experienced a severe loss of revenue due to construction obstructions. The lack of accessible roads, reduced foot traffic, and overall inconvenience have left many of these businesses at risk of closure, with many experiencing sales declines of as much as 50%. City of Phoenix and Valley Metro will demolish Small Business Grants in December 2024.
2. Extended Completion Timeline: Originally set for 2023, the project completion has been quietly pushed back to 2024 and now 2025. Valley Metro’s communication with South Phoenix residents and business owners about new project completion dates has been nonexistent. With no inclusive community outreach in place, South Phoenix diverse residents are being kept in the dark as to why the project completion date keeps getting extended.
3. Dismantlement of Community Advisory Boards: Valley Metro created the Construction Advisory Board (CAB) to give our community voice during construction. They consist of residents, property owners and businesses directly impacted by light rail construction. Valley Metro will dismiss CAB members in March 2025 before the project is completed, silencing our community's voice.
4. Mismanagement of SCE Arts Grant Program: Valley Metro introduced the SCE Arts Grant Program in 2022. They formed a community board to review projects and vote. Without board panelists knowing, Valley Metro randomly released funding to organizations without obtaining a final board consensus on scoring and awardees. Valley Metro is also not tracking grant funding or completion of projects funded. To date, only 3 of 15 projects have been completed.
Our Demands
To ensure our community’s fair treatment and economic stability, we respectfully demand:
1. Public Meetings: Host community wide public meetings immediately to explain why this project's completion date was delayed from 2023 to 2025. Explain how City of Phoenix and Valley Metro is extending all aspects of the project until the final project completion date, not just construction. Include updates on the $1.35 billion price tag of this project, including a breakdown of all budget overruns.
Explain if the last-minute addition of the Downtown Hub to the South Central Light Rail Project in 2017-2018 had any impact on current completion delays in South Phoenix. This downtown hub was recently named after former Mayor Greg Stanton.
2. Financial Support for Businesses: Allocate emergency financial relief or tax incentives for South Phoenix businesses that have suffered economically due to the prolonged construction. Extend the Small Business Grants Program through the project completion date, and 6 months after so that business owners can recoup from their losses.
3. Extend the CABs: In order for our community to hold Valley Metro accountable, extend CABs until at least 12 months past the final completion date. Valley Metro should know that predatory processes in underserved communities only forces a united front. Once Valley Metro builds in West Phoenix, include CAB Chairs and Vice Chairs as consultants in all future CABs in communities of color.
4. Audit the SCE Arts Grant Program: The project is a federal project as it is a Davis Bacon job worth $1.35 billion, therefore all dollars must be accounted for. We demand a full audit of the SCE Arts Grant Program to expose where these arts grants have gone.
5. Transparent and Adequate Community Outreach: Implement diverse, equitable and inclusive communications practices, including regular reports on the new project completion date so South Phoenix residents and business owners are adequately informed. Open up measurement metrics of Valley Metro's Business Assistance Program to gain a deeper understanding of the program's true impact. Any future delays must come with compensatory measures for affected residents and business owners.
6. Public Response from Mayor Gallego and Valley Metro Leaders: We demand a response from Mayor Kate Gallego, Valley Metro CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller, Chair of Valley Metro RFTA Board of Directors OD Harris, and Valley Metro Rail Board of Directors Francisco Heredia. We demand a renewed commitment to support and advocate for the well-being of South Phoenix during and after this project, including frequent in-person meetings with community members to understand the extent of the impact and discuss solutions.
Why This Matters
South Phoenix is a culturally rich and diverse community that deserves the same respect, consideration, and investment as any other neighborhood in metro Phoenix.
Our community – especially low-income families and small business owners – is facing very real, immediate challenges. Small businesses along South Central Avenue are struggling under the weight of constant construction, limited access, reduced foot traffic and a business assistance grants program that ends in December 2024. We ask that our city leaders and Valley Metro step up, take accountability, and work with us to mitigate the harm this project has caused.
Sign this petition to support our demand for a fair, transparent, and accountable process for the people of South Phoenix. Together, let’s advocate for our community until not a single traffic cone or barrier is left on the streets of South Central Phoenix.
It’s time for Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix to Stand for South Phoenix!
358
The Issue
To: Mayor Kate Gallego, the City of Phoenix, and Valley Metro
We, the undersigned residents, business owners, and supporters of South Phoenix, call for immediate action to address the negative impacts of prolonged light rail construction on our community. The South Central Light Rail Extension, while promising improved public transit, has burdened South Phoenix with repeated delays, inadequate communication, and severe economic hardship for local businesses and residents.
Originally slated for completion in 2023, the project has now been delayed to 2025—leaving our neighborhood in a state of disrepair and economic distress.
We stand together to demand transparency, accountability, and fair treatment from City of Phoenix and Valley Metro!
The Issues
1. Economic Impact on Small Businesses: Independent small businesses, the backbone of our community, have experienced a severe loss of revenue due to construction obstructions. The lack of accessible roads, reduced foot traffic, and overall inconvenience have left many of these businesses at risk of closure, with many experiencing sales declines of as much as 50%. City of Phoenix and Valley Metro will demolish Small Business Grants in December 2024.
2. Extended Completion Timeline: Originally set for 2023, the project completion has been quietly pushed back to 2024 and now 2025. Valley Metro’s communication with South Phoenix residents and business owners about new project completion dates has been nonexistent. With no inclusive community outreach in place, South Phoenix diverse residents are being kept in the dark as to why the project completion date keeps getting extended.
3. Dismantlement of Community Advisory Boards: Valley Metro created the Construction Advisory Board (CAB) to give our community voice during construction. They consist of residents, property owners and businesses directly impacted by light rail construction. Valley Metro will dismiss CAB members in March 2025 before the project is completed, silencing our community's voice.
4. Mismanagement of SCE Arts Grant Program: Valley Metro introduced the SCE Arts Grant Program in 2022. They formed a community board to review projects and vote. Without board panelists knowing, Valley Metro randomly released funding to organizations without obtaining a final board consensus on scoring and awardees. Valley Metro is also not tracking grant funding or completion of projects funded. To date, only 3 of 15 projects have been completed.
Our Demands
To ensure our community’s fair treatment and economic stability, we respectfully demand:
1. Public Meetings: Host community wide public meetings immediately to explain why this project's completion date was delayed from 2023 to 2025. Explain how City of Phoenix and Valley Metro is extending all aspects of the project until the final project completion date, not just construction. Include updates on the $1.35 billion price tag of this project, including a breakdown of all budget overruns.
Explain if the last-minute addition of the Downtown Hub to the South Central Light Rail Project in 2017-2018 had any impact on current completion delays in South Phoenix. This downtown hub was recently named after former Mayor Greg Stanton.
2. Financial Support for Businesses: Allocate emergency financial relief or tax incentives for South Phoenix businesses that have suffered economically due to the prolonged construction. Extend the Small Business Grants Program through the project completion date, and 6 months after so that business owners can recoup from their losses.
3. Extend the CABs: In order for our community to hold Valley Metro accountable, extend CABs until at least 12 months past the final completion date. Valley Metro should know that predatory processes in underserved communities only forces a united front. Once Valley Metro builds in West Phoenix, include CAB Chairs and Vice Chairs as consultants in all future CABs in communities of color.
4. Audit the SCE Arts Grant Program: The project is a federal project as it is a Davis Bacon job worth $1.35 billion, therefore all dollars must be accounted for. We demand a full audit of the SCE Arts Grant Program to expose where these arts grants have gone.
5. Transparent and Adequate Community Outreach: Implement diverse, equitable and inclusive communications practices, including regular reports on the new project completion date so South Phoenix residents and business owners are adequately informed. Open up measurement metrics of Valley Metro's Business Assistance Program to gain a deeper understanding of the program's true impact. Any future delays must come with compensatory measures for affected residents and business owners.
6. Public Response from Mayor Gallego and Valley Metro Leaders: We demand a response from Mayor Kate Gallego, Valley Metro CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller, Chair of Valley Metro RFTA Board of Directors OD Harris, and Valley Metro Rail Board of Directors Francisco Heredia. We demand a renewed commitment to support and advocate for the well-being of South Phoenix during and after this project, including frequent in-person meetings with community members to understand the extent of the impact and discuss solutions.
Why This Matters
South Phoenix is a culturally rich and diverse community that deserves the same respect, consideration, and investment as any other neighborhood in metro Phoenix.
Our community – especially low-income families and small business owners – is facing very real, immediate challenges. Small businesses along South Central Avenue are struggling under the weight of constant construction, limited access, reduced foot traffic and a business assistance grants program that ends in December 2024. We ask that our city leaders and Valley Metro step up, take accountability, and work with us to mitigate the harm this project has caused.
Sign this petition to support our demand for a fair, transparent, and accountable process for the people of South Phoenix. Together, let’s advocate for our community until not a single traffic cone or barrier is left on the streets of South Central Phoenix.
It’s time for Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix to Stand for South Phoenix!
358
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Petition created on November 3, 2024