48 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE LISC Phoenix has been part of that mission for 33 years. To get it started locally, the community had to raise about $3 million in initial investment dollars. But the return on investment has been significant. Last year alone, LISC Phoenix invested $120 million in the community. That investment supports everything from affordable housing and small business development to programs addressing what Benelli calls the “social determinants of health” — the community conditions that influence people’s well-being. “We’ve been involved in childcare centers, particularly those that serve low-income families, affordable housing and a lot of work around what we call healthy communities,” she said. Every LISC market operates differently, tailored to local needs. “We’re different in every community,” Benelli said. “The pillars of work that we do here in the Phoenix market are much different than every other market.” Nationally, LISC runs about 10 core programs. Each local executive director determines which national strategies best fit local needs. “We don’t take our products and put them on the community,” Benelli said. “The community comes to us. It’s got to be driven by them, because that’s the only way that things are going to be sustainable.” That philosophy has made LISC a key partner in innovative efforts to address housing and healthcare together — especially for vulnerable populations. One of the organization’s major ongoing efforts is a “housing as healthcare” initiative, which recognizes the clear link between stable housing and reduced healthcare costs. For instance, a stable home reduces costly emergency room visits for chronic conditions often exacerbated by living on the streets. “We’ve distributed $12.3 million in grants to get 2,000 units of affordable housing built in the last five years,” Benelli said. “Our housing projects don’t just provide shelter — they include services that impact social determinants of health, such as financial literacy, education, employment assistance and green space.” The initiative has been particularly effective in working with managed care organizations to use Medicaid funding in creative ways. “If we house someone experiencing homelessness, their healthcare costs drop, which benefits the insurance providers,” Benelli said. “So we went and talked to seven insurance organizations and said, ‘What if you all use that money for grants to get these projects out of the ground and get people moved into affordable housing so they’re not living on the street and costing you a fortune as clients?’” LISC’s community-driven approach also shows up in smaller, neighborhood-level projects. In the town of Guadalupe, for example, LISC partnered with Fiesta Bowl Charities, State Farm and a local community development corporation called Rail CDC (Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability) to restore a public park and work with residents to plant trees. One of the results is a revitalized park that now serves as a gathering place for local families, with vendor markets and cultural events that celebrate Guadalupe’s Indigenous roots. “We’re helping the community at their request,” Benelli said. “That’s what makes it sustainable.” Looking ahead, LISC Phoenix is expanding its “housing as healthcare” focus through a major new project in partnership with Circle the City, which provides health services for individuals experiencing homelessness. The project reflects the kind of creative, equity-based financing that has become a hallmark of LISC’s work. A rendering of La Victoria Commons, a transit-oriented development in east Tempe. The project provides an inclusive response to the Valley’s urgent need for affordable housing.

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 49 “This connects healthcare and community with equity investment,” Benelli said. “It’s an innovative way to expand without traditional fundraising — and that’s what makes it so powerful.” For Benelli, success isn’t just built on capital; it’s built on trust. “We know the neighborhoods. We know what the community wants,” she said. “And we know what investments are going to be successful because the fiflffffffi-flflffi- flffiff  THE NUTCRACKER December 12 – 27, 2025 with The Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall Tickets: balletaz.org | 602.381.1096 community is asking for them.” This deep neighborhood connection, combined with pioneering projects like the Circle the City partnership, does more than just fund development. It forges a new, sustainable framework for the city’s future — one where community health and stable housing are recognized as one and the same. To learn more, visit lisc.org/phoenix . Through walking audits and planning sessions, LISC supports resident-led change in Guadalupe, which resulted in a transformed park for community celebrations.