MESA, AZ — City leaders in Mesa are envisioning a new future for Arizona’s third-largest city, focusing on reinvestment and redevelopment in areas showing signs of decline — including pockets of the town center.
But while bold plans are in motion, some community members say they want the process to prioritize people, not just property.
A key part of the city’s proposed transformation involves tackling blighted housing, like the abandoned houses off U.S. 60 in East Mesa, and finding new tenants for vacant commercial sites such as shuttered buildings along Stapley Road. Those houses show obvious signs of neglect, including tall weeds that rise past the houses’ roofs. The vacant buildings are covered by nails, plywood, and often graffiti.
“Mesa is growing quickly,” Economic Development Director Jaye O’Donnell told ABC15. “We are looking at ways to enhance new growth opportunities that we have in Mesa, but also to make sure we’re paying attention to those areas that are a little more mature.”
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O’Donnell said the city is considering how to help homeowners who may struggle with code compliance and views filling empty storefronts as a priority. “Sometimes, it’s very welcomed, and people are excited about it, depending on what is there and what kind of use it is. We see that more often than not,” O’Donnell said.
Documents available on the city's website detail potential plans for four key Mesa districts - the city's east, west, southwest, and center regions.
Yet, at least one community leader worries that redevelopment could push longtime residents out of their homes.
“If we can do that while keeping people in place, then we’re having a really positive impact on our city,” said Augie Gastelum of Rail Community Development, a consulting group focusing on livability and prosperity in Mesa. Gastelum supports development but insists the community must not be sidelined—a concern he says isn’t unfounded.
“I know that people in our city have really good intentions, but good intentions will only get you so far if you don’t do the work it takes to not repeat the past,” he said.
City officials said the final tools for the redevelopment plan are still being determined, and specific neighborhoods targeted for reinvestment have not yet been chosen. O’Donnell hopes to see a plan approved by city council members by this summer.
