Construction is underway at Desert Sky, a 288-unit affordable housing community planned for a 10-acre site in West Phoenix, after the project’s financial closing, the City of Phoenix and The NRP Group announced on Dec. 8, 2025.
The development is aimed at households earning up to 80 percent of area median income, a segment where demand has grown alongside the rapid population and job expansion in the city.
The project will rise at 6939 West Thomas Road, a corridor surrounded by employment centers, retail hubs, and public recreation facilities. The site sits roughly a mile from Desert Sky Mall and within a 20-minute commute of downtown Phoenix.
Plans include nine three-story garden-style buildings and a central clubhouse. Units will include one- and two-bedroom layouts with in-unit laundry, walk-in closets and standard modern finishes. Some ground-floor homes will have private yards. The project also will offer covered parking and private garages.
The development reflects an ongoing effort to address housing shortages in fast-growing Phoenix neighborhoods, according to public officials and executives at NRP. “This new supply of units will help meet the city’s increasing demand for housing, in particular for Maryvale,” said Councilwoman Anna Hernandez.
Amenities
Amenities are to include a 5,500-square-foot clubhouse; a fitness center; business center with coworking space, pool, resident lounge, grill stations, parcel lockers, and a dog park.
The vertically integrated single-family rental operator, with more than 30,000 units under management nationally, including the 390-unit luxury community near Durango Casino in Las Vegas which is under construction, selected Phoenix as a priority market because of sustained in-migration and resultant high rental demand. It expects construction completion in 2027.
Desert Sky Affordable Housing Community: Fact Sheet
Project Overview
Location: 6939 West Thomas Road, West Phoenix (Maryvale)
Units: 288 affordable apartments
Affordability: 144 units (50%) reserved for families earning up to 80% AMI
Developer/Manager: The NRP Group
Partner: City of Phoenix
Status: Groundbreaking December 2024 | Completion 2027
Site & Accessibility
Size: 10 acres
Design: Nine 3-story garden-style buildings + central clubhouse
Proximity:
1 mile from Desert Sky Mall
0.5 miles from Desert West Park
15 minutes to Grand Canyon University
20 minutes to downtown Phoenix
Direct access to major employment corridors, retail centers, and public transit
Unit Features
Mix: One- and two-bedroom residences
Walk-in closets
Stainless steel appliances
Granite countertops
In-unit laundry
Select ground-floor units with private yards
Covered parking and private garages available
Community Amenities
5,500 sq ft clubhouse with resident lounge
Outdoor pool
Fitness center
Business center with coworking spaces
Dog park
Grill stations
Mail and parcel lockers
Interconnected pathways and landscaping
Strategic Context
Target Residents: Teachers, first responders, healthcare professionals, students
Market Rationale: Phoenix is among the fastest-growing U.S. metro areas with strong population growth, robust job market, and sustained in-migration driving rental housing demand.
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