First Place Phoenix

First Place-Phoenix (First Place) is the first of its kind, 81,000-square-foot property which houses independent living residential units, a transition academy and a training and leadership institute. First Place includes 67 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, with 16 units for lower-income tenants, and a suite of services and amenities. The community serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity, ushering in a new era of housing for individuals with autism and other special abilities in Phoenix, which PBS NewsHour dubbed “the most autism-friendly city in the world.” The First Place Transition Academy, operated by the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, is located onsite serving 32 students each year who reside at First Place in year one and who are transitioning to more independent living off campus in year two. The First Place Global Leadership Institute is also on campus, led by an international faculty, advancing the continued education and training of support service providers, professionals and physicians, and serving as a robust site for research and public policy advancements. First Place created 33 new, quality full-time permanent jobs with above average wages, and created 100 new construction jobs. Without a comparable marketplace for residential living of this kind, First Place was unable to obtain conventional financing. First Place successfully raised cash and pledges but could not support the entire budget without NMTC financing filling the gap.