The Gateway Health Assessment and Strategy Report is submitted by a multidisciplinary health team, convened by St. Luke's Health Initiatives (SLHI), as part of Reinvent PHX. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Reinvent PHX is a partnership between the city of Phoenix, Arizona State University, and SLHI to develop a holistic, long-range sustainability plan for the neighborhoods along the light rail.

The scope of SLHI and the health team's work is to gather information from 'underserved, particularly non-English speaking, residents in each district.' From information gathered from residents, along with other primary and secondary data, the health team produced this health impact assessment of Solano's existing built-environment conditions with a focus on healthy food and recreation access, walking and bicycling safety, and exposure to excessive heat. After assessing the current conditions, the health team recommends the attached intervention strategies focused on improving public health.

The scope of SLHI and the health team's work is to gather information from underserved, particularly non-English speaking, residents in each district. From information gathered from residents, along with other primary and secondary data, the health team produced this health impact assessment of Uptown's existing built-environment conditions with a focus on healthy food and recreation access, walking and bicycling safety, and exposure to excessive heat. After assessing the current conditions, the health team recommends the attached intervention strategies focused on improving public health.

“What about the water?” was one of the questions Morrison Institute for Public Policy asked in its 2008 study, "Megapolitan: Arizona’s Sun Corridor". That report looked at the potential growth of the Sun Corridor as Tucson and Phoenix merge into one continuous area for economic and demographic purposes.

With its brief review of the water situation in urban Arizona, "Megapolitan" left a number of questions unanswered. This report will consider questions like these in more detail in order to examine the Sun Corridor’s water future. This topic has received less sophisticated public discussion than might be expected in a desert state. Arizona’s professional water managers feel they are relatively well prepared for the future and would like to be left alone to do their job. Elected officials and economic-development professionals have sometimes avoided discussing water for fear of reinforcing a negative view of Arizona. This report seeks to contribute to this understanding, and to a more open and informed conversation about the relationship of water and future growth.

This report follows The Coming of Age report produced in 2002 by some of the principals involved in this project, and published by St. Luke’s Health Initiatives. That research showed that Arizona had much to do to get ready for the baby boomer age wave. The results of Unlocking Resilience from new survey data, interviews, and secondary research indicates Arizona still has much to do to prepare for aging and must make concrete policy decisions about aging.

High costs alone are enough to make anyone dizzy. How can health care and health insurance be understood now when tight budgets are presenting tougher and tougher choices to individuals and policy makers? One answer is to step back and take another look at what quality research says about the costs and benefits of health and health insurance and match those facts and figures with experiences among Arizonans. This report does just that. It also presents recommendations that could help Arizona fare better in the coming years. Money may make the world go round, but choices determine the future. In addition to reviews of state and national economic studies, focus groups and interviews were held with metro Phoenix and metro Tucson residents who did not have, or recently lost, health insurance. Participants’ own words are used throughout the report to illustrate a variety of research findings.

Economic development leaders and public officials throughout the country are tending to the effects of a sour economy and huge state budget deficits when they would rather be creating quality jobs and new economy assets. According to the most prominent thinking on today’s knowledge economy, locally developed and exported technology will be the primary economic differentiator between future winners and losers. Thus, with long-term fiscal and economic health at stake, the 50-state race is on for advantages and leadership in science and technology. This report sheds light on these issues through an overview of Arizona’s standing in science and technology today, short case studies of four competitors in the west, as well as Arizona, and ideas for Arizona’s leaders to consider as they strive to give our state an edge.