Nogales Community Development

Community Impact

Over the last decade, NCD has secured over $16 million for community investment in the region. Over $12 million has been invested in physical infrastructure for a downtown Nogales Community Campus that includes senior housing at the Bowman property, a community market at Little Mercado, and most recently a new-business incubator at the former Foxworth-Galbraith lumberyard. Over $4 million has been invested in services for businesses and individuals, including loans, training, counseling and support, and technology resources.

Adaptive Reuse of Historic Properties

NCD owns and is redeveloping the former Bowman Hotel into 48 units of senior housing, with community space on the bottom floors where a team of local providers will offer supportive services to residents.

NCD brought together partners from leadership organizations to form Nogales Rural Innovation Consortium (NRIC). The consortium’s goal is to encourage entrepreneurship in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

NCD owns and is raising funds to redevelop the former Foxworth Building and Lumber Yard into state-of-the-art offices, training and meeting space as well as a business incubator area to house innovation ventures in Southern Arizona.

In 2014, NCD launched the campaign for the Nogales Innovation Centers to raise $2.5 million for building improvements and offsite needs.

Streetscape & Parking

NCD owns and has converted three pieces of property in downtown Nogales to make affordable parking options for the employees of the downtown businesses, which leaves more convenient street level parking available for visitors and shoppers.

NCD coordinated a City of Nogales grant from the Arizona Department of Transportation to repair sidewalks, provide pedestrian amenities and lighting on Morley Avenue and replace a 100-year old waterline that ran between International Street and Court Street.

NCD manages the daily operation of the public rest rooms in Karam Park for the estimated 40,000 shoppers and other visitors who come to downtown Nogales each day.

Through a project funded by Arizona Main Street, NCD developed a downtown way-finding plan. As part of that plan, the Arizona Office of Tourism funded two kiosks with information and maps about the downtown district to guide visitors.

Job Creation

NCD helped create 37 jobs. 22 new businesses, and 11 micro-business enterprises. It is noteworthy that NCD also created a small entrepreneurial space in which 20 merchants have sold their goods at the Little Mercado community/farmer’s market.

NCD’s Food Enterprises Project helped launch two Santa Cruz County farmer’s markets, create 14 new businesses, create six new jobs in food-related businesses and retain 60 existing jobs in food-related businesses.

The “Little Mercado” business and marketing plan completed in March 2007 identified sufficient space on the site for 11 food vendor kiosks. Of the businesses that have been assisted through the Little Mercado, six have succeeded: Señorita Laura, Negrete Parking, Sonora Parking, Cuatacos, Cele’s Hotdogs and Taqueria Porfis.

In April 2009, NCD launched its biannual community market, the Nogales Mercadito. Approximately 20 merchants have sold their goods at the Community Market, and an additional seven community-based organizations are providing local information. NCD is trying to find a permanent operator for the community market through funding from USDA.

Housing Rehabilitation

NCD’s Housing Rehabilitation Program repaired six homes, assisted 12 construction trades businesses, helped construction trades businesses retain six jobs, and created a partnership with the Noon/Crawford/Elm Street neighborhoods in downtown Nogales.

In May 2010, Nogales Community Development (NCD) launched its housing rehabilitation program through a HUD Rural Housing and Economic Development Grant. NCD received $300,000 to supplement $229,000 in local funds for a housing rehabilitation and community-building program. The program was intended to serve 206 low and moderate income households in the downtown area encompassing Crawford, Elm and Noon Streets.

Housing Counseling

NCD’s Housing Counseling services have helped 169 foreclosure mitigation clients.. Of NCD clients, 14 retained home ownershi. Six have achieved home ownership through NCD’s IDA program; six achieved homeownership through NCD counseling and other financial means, and two of our Mercado clients were able to avert foreclosure through NCD services.

Since 2008, NCD has served 233 families with one-on-one housing counseling services, helping eight families buy homes and more than 100 families keep their homes through loss mitigation assistance.

Individual Development Accounts

Individual Development Accounts (IDA) assist NCD clients with funds for education, business, or housing. Since launching its IDA program), NCD has served 67 savings account holders.

NCD has graduated 21 IDA clients, with seven families buying their first home, six individuals opening new businesses, and eight persons going back to school.

Of IDA graduates who were interviewed, seven out of eight said participation in the IDA program had improved their economic situation. The three business graduates interviewed used funds to invest in materials for a leather jacket-making business, to purchase equipment for a new battery reconditioning service center, and to purchase silkscreen printing equipment.

Income Tax Assistance

NCD Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clients in Nogales in the 2009 tax season secured nearly $400,000 in ncome tax credits and more than $900,000 in federal and state refunds. The average earned income tax refund claimed for tax year 2009 was 955.57; the average federal refund claimed was $2,176.62, and the average state refund claimed was $87.60.

Over the last four years, NCD has helped 3,143 families receive $7,165,437 in tax refunds.

Financial Management

NCD has helped over 760 Santa Cruz County residents, including 353 young people, in completing financial management workshops.

Business Support & Training

NCD has provided over 429 individuals and businesses with business training and 70 entrepreneurs with specialized certification in entrepreneurship from NXLevel.

NCD’s loan program has assisted 17 Santa Cruz County-based businesses with $887,000 in small and micro loans.