CVS invests in affordable housing for Arizona seniors

CVS is making a $22.6 million investment into affordable housing for Arizona seniors with disabilities.

Construction of the housing just began, and the development will provide residents with onsite wellness programs, services for disabilities and substance use disorder services.

This was a collaboration through La Frontera Arizona and Red Stone Equity Partners.

CVS is also providing a $100,000 grant to La Frontera Arizona to support the holistic suite of delivery service efforts and programs.

Joel Helle, Vice President of Specialty Physician Services at CVS Health, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss recent updates with construction and the facility.

According to Helle, CVS supports this initiative because it’s important for the community to have equal access to housing, jobs and health. Without these resources, it becomes much more difficult for people to fight a disease or get tested for diseases. 

 “Arizona has the fourth largest homelessness in all of the United States and especially for people 55 and older and for disabled people. We have a problem here in Arizona, and this allows us to provide affordable housing by investing in federal tax credits,” said Helle. 

There will be approximately 85 affordable housing units for people 55 years and older. 

La Frontera Arizona provides different programs to the community including getting to a provider and a blood pressure test. 

When it comes to onsite wellness programs, Helle said, “We’ve invested $100,000 there too with Frontera, who runs the program there, to make sure that people can get to a provider, get testing for things like blood pressure, for things like heart disease, that’s the first step to getting to care, is getting to doctors,” said Helle. 

The center makes it accessible for residents who have disabilities and to make their life simple.  

“The affordable housing unit is set up so that if some of those units, regardless of your disability, they have access; there’s bathrooms, the getting up there in the elevator, all of that stuff is very easy for people so that their disability doesn’t get in the way of them being able to live there and thrive,” said Helle.