Meet Rep. Aaron Márquez,
Dedicated to Service
Board Member, Phoenix IDA
Representative Aaron Márquez brings a lifelong commitment to public service, community development and educational opportunity to his role on the Phoenix IDA board of directors. Elected in November 2024 to represent Legislative District 5 in the Arizona State House, Márquez reflects the values of a dedicated civic leader whose work spans education, veteran advocacy and responsible economic growth.
A proud U.S. Army veteran, Márquez has long championed policies that support service members, military families and veterans transitioning back into civilian life. He currently serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Veterans Caucus at the Legislature, where he works to advance programs and initiatives that honor and uplift those who served.
His passion for this work is reflected in his support for affordable housing, including Phoenix IDA-backed projects that assist veterans, such as the Glendale Apartments, an affordable housing development supported by the Phoenix IDA through bond financing in late 2024. Located near Glendale and 27th avenues in Phoenix, this community will provide 45 affordable units for residents 55+, including 11 units reserved for U.S. military veterans.
Education is another pillar of Márquez’s public service. He was elected to the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board in 2020, inspired by Mayor Kate Gallego’s efforts to engage leaders committed to student success and community well-being. In addition to his legislative responsibilities, he remains deeply involved in public education policy, focusing on increased investment, school safety, and pathways that prepare students for college and career.
Márquez was appointed to the Phoenix IDA board in 2021, drawn to the organization’s mission to expand opportunity through strategic community investment. What he finds most compelling about the Phoenix IDA is its unique ability to pair innovative financing tools with programs that drive meaningful public benefit. “The IDA is unlike any other board,” he noted, emphasizing how its Community Development Fund reinvests resources back into neighborhoods and projects where they can have the greatest impact. He points to projects like the exploratory grant to City Year, which supports embedded AmeriCorps members in Phoenix Union and Osborn school districts, as examples of how targeted funding can strengthen schools and support student achievement.
Márquez is committed to ensuring the Phoenix IDA continues expanding affordable housing, educational opportunities and economic mobility while prioritizing projects that directly benefit Arizonans that would not be possible without innovative financing options.
Outside of public service, Márquez enjoys hiking Arizona’s trails and playing basketball, grounding his busy schedule with activities that connect him to the community he serves.
CPLC Hosts Ribbon Cutting
at Ascent on Broadway
Earlier this month, the Phoenix IDA joined Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) and other community representatives to celebrate the opening of Ascent on Broadway — a new 161-unit affordable housing community in South Phoenix.
Developed by CPLC, Ascent on Broadway (formerly named Pueblo Apartments) offers high-quality apartment homes for low-income families. The development is located near the light rail and Ed Pastor Transit Center for convenient access to jobs, education and opportunity.
The site holds personal significance for Phoenix IDA CEO Juan Salgado, who grew up just three blocks away and, as a child with his siblings, played on the very land that Ascent on Broadway now stands.
The Phoenix IDA is proud to have supported this investment with $24.5 million in tax-exempt bond financing, alongside 4% LIHTC equity and local funding from the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County, as well as a $1 million loan provided by Phoenix Community Development & Investment Corp. (PCDIC).
Groundbreaking Celebrated for Wild Rose Flats
Earlier this fall, the Phoenix IDA participated in the groundbreaking for Wild Rose Flats, a new affordable housing community that will bring 72 units to Phoenix near the intersection of 43rd Avenue and Thomas Road. Developed by Ulysses Development Group, in late August, the Phoenix IDA successfully closed on a
$17 million multifamily housing revenue bond issue for the project.
This project represents the second affordable housing development that the Phoenix IDA has worked with the City of Phoenix and the Isaac School District on as part of the School District Surplus Land Initiative.
Additionally, 22 project-based housing vouchers from the City of Phoenix have been awarded to Wild Rose Flats. Supportive services for families receiving vouchers will be provided by Phoenix-based nonprofit Save the Family Foundation of Arizona, which will aid in long-term housing stability and resident success.
Major Expansion Now Complete at St. Mary’s Food Bank
In 2023, the Phoenix Community Development & Investment Corp. (PCDIC),which is managed by the Phoenix IDA, allocated $35 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) funds to St. Mary’s Food Bank — the world’s first food bank — to significantly increase its capacity to serve families across Arizona.
Thanks to this investment, St. Mary’s Food Bank transformed an existing building into a dedicated volunteer center, making it easier to host large volunteer events and freeing up additional storage space at the main warehouse. It also added a new maintenance facility, driver dispatch office, and expanded temperature-controlled cooler spaces at the main warehouse.
These upgrades now allow St. Mary’s to accept and distribute more fresh, nutritious food — and better meet the growing need in the community. It is estimated that 1 in 8 Arizonans face food insecurity, impacting nearly 1 million of our neighbors.
Congrats to St. Mary’s Food Bank and its more than 700 partners on the completion of this monumental expansion project.
Impact at a glance:
👉 75% increase in campus-wide storage capacity
👉 28 new permanent jobs
👉 Greater ability to respond to record levels of need
Groundbreaking Held for Mary Rose Wilcox Healthcare Center
On Nov. 7, 2025, Phoenix-area community leaders gathered in the Grant Park neighborhood to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Mary Rose Wilcox Center for Healthcare and Innovation.
When completed, this 40,000-square-foot facility – developed through a partnership between Wesley Community & Health Centers and Friendly House – will expand access to high-quality medical services for low-income and uninsured families in Central and South Phoenix.
Named in honor of longtime civic leader Mary Rose Wilcox, whose decades of advocacy have strengthened healthcare access and opportunity for underserved Arizonans, the new center continues her legacy of service.
Phoenix IDA CEO Juan Salgado served as emcee for the event, and PCDIC provided a $20 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation to support the project’s development.
The center will offer primary and specialty care, behavioral health, imaging, pharmacy services and training opportunities for future healthcare professionals – strengthening the health and vitality of this community for generations to come.
Mark Moeremans Takes Helm of Spectrum Medical Care Center
Congratulations to Phoenix IDA Board Director Mark Moeremans on his new role as CEO of the Spectrum Medical Care Center in Phoenix, a vital resource providing inclusive, affirming care to Phoenix’s LGBTQ+ community.
With more than a decade of experience in business, venture development and public service, Mark brings a passion for equity, innovation and community health to this important new role. Check out our board spotlight on Mark from our September issue. Please join us in congratulating Mark on this exciting next chapter.
Farewell to Communications Director Christa Severns
The Phoenix IDA extends its sincere appreciation to Communications Director Christa Severns as she recently concluded her time with our organization. Christa has been a valued part of our team, contributing her communications expertise, thoughtful counsel and steady leadership in support of our mission to expand opportunity for Phoenix residents.
During her tenure, she helped strengthen the Phoenix IDA’s public presence, elevate key community initiatives and ensure our messaging reflected the impact of our work across the city. Her dedication and professionalism have made a lasting difference, and we are grateful for the time, talent and heart she brought to our team. Please join us in wishing Christa the very best in her next chapter as she transitions her communications and government affairs skills into her new company, Severns & Clark.
