A New Leaf Breaks Ground on East Valley Men’s Center Expansion Amid Rising Homelessness Crisis
In response to the sharp increase in eviction filings and homelessness in Maricopa County, A New Leaf has officially broken ground on the expansion of the East Valley Men’s Center. The groundbreaking celebrated the addition of 30 new transitional housing units that will provide vital support for men transitioning out of homelessness.
The ceremony marked a significant milestone in A New Leaf’s continued efforts to combat homelessness through long-term, sustainable solutions. Local officials, community leaders and past residents of the center gathered to commemorate the project, highlighting the collaborative effort behind this expansion.
Mesa Mayor John Giles acknowledged A New Leaf as a “pivotal partner to the City of Mesa” and praised the nonprofit’s contributions to tackling homelessness in the community. “Housing and homelessness is not ‘an’ issue for Mesa — it is ‘the’ issue,” he said, underscoring the importance of the expansion to the city’s ongoing efforts to support the most vulnerable members of the community.
The City of Mesa is providing over $9 million in funding for the project, which will add 30 new units to the center, offering homeless men up to one year of transitional housing. (Homeless men make up 63 percent of the homeless population in Maricopa County, according to the 2024 PIT Count published by the Maricopa Association of Governments.)
These private, studio-style units are designed to support residents as they rebuild their lives and transition to independent living. The expanded facility will also include onsite healthcare services, provided by Circle the City, offering residents critical medical care, immunizations and wellness checkups.
“This is a beautiful moment of public, private and corporate entities coming together to make a lasting change in the community,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of A New Leaf. “Our goal is not just to provide a temporary fix but to create lasting pathways to stability and independence.”
Construction on the new units is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with completion projected for early 2026.
For more behind this Frontdoor, visit turnanewleaf.org.
