This story first appeared in Rent Check PHX, a biweekly newsletter made for Phoenix renters, written by someone who’s lived it. Sign up for it here.
Lots of neighborhoods have monthly meetings and cool events like block parties. But not every neighborhood inspires residents to proudly wear its name on a T-shirt.
The Coronado Neighborhood Association, founded in 1985, has worked to cultivate the kind of community pride that makes residents—homeowners and renters alike—want to rep their neck of the woods.
The volunteer-run organization has worked for decades to appeal to all residents, whether or not they own homes. The neighborhood falls in a ZIP code where 62% of housing units are renter-occupied, nearly double the rate in the larger Phoenix metro area.
Kirsten Keane, president of the association, felt drawn to Coronado long before she moved there in 2022.
She used to visit the area to eat at a restaurant called Tuck Shop (now The Coronado PHX), and recalls wishing she could live somewhere with the neighborhood’s character and sense of community.
So when she and her husband toured the house they now live in, she didn’t even realize it was in Greater Coronado—a neighborhood of more than 4,000 households, stretching from Seventh Street to the 51, and Thomas Road to Interstate 10.
“Then I was like, ‘Oh, crap. I actually do get to live in this neighborhood that I’ve wanted to for a long time,’” Keane told Rent Check PHX.
She started joining Coronado Neighborhood Association meetings before she moved in, and immediately ran for the board.
“I wanted to meet people here in the neighborhood and thought that would be a good way to do it,” she said.
Keane said that working alongside the other board members, especially during the neighborhood’s high-effort annual home tour, led to genuine friendships. They even went wine tasting together in Sonoita—on their personal dime, of course.
A host of fun events
The Coronado Neighborhood Association is involved in many events and projects focused on bringing people together. Here are some of the highlights:
- The annual Coronado Historically Modern Home Tour, which includes a tour of private homes as well as a street fair.
- WayneFest, an annual music and arts festival named after former Coronado resident Wayne Newton.
- A Phoenix Art Museum bike ride and private tour, led by a neighbor who is also a docent.
- A porch concert series.
- A community yard sale.
- A Halloween bike ride and pet parade.
- A holiday lights bike ride and hot cocoa social.
- Monthly community cleanups.
- Informal Front Yard Fridays that encourage neighbors to sit outside and meet each other.
The Coronado Neighborhood Association also hosts meetings every first Thursday of the month to bring residents together with city officials, candidates, developers, and other community members who affect life in Coronado.
The meetings, which are held at local businesses, typically bring in about 30 people, Keane said.
How membership works
The Coronado Neighborhood Association charges $20 a year for individual memberships, which include voting privileges for the board, mailed copies of the neighborhood magazine, and access to the community toolshed, which includes banquet tables, folding chairs, pressure washers, and more. The group ended last year with 371 members, including businesses.
However, most events are free to members and non-members alike. Keane said the membership fee helps support the organization so they’re able to offer so much at no cost.
Keane said she’s aware, though, that that structure may not work for everyone—especially renters who may not see themselves in Coronado long-term. To fill that gap, she said, the group is trying something new.
“ This year, we’re going to be piloting a new membership structure where we’ll do a discounted membership for a first-year special,” she said, “so acknowledging people who might only be part of our community for a year, and maybe they’ll enjoy it so much they’ll renew their lease, and then hopefully also their membership.”
When it comes to the qualities that attract people to Coronado—and make them become diehard fans—Keane noted the neighborhood’s diversity, history, and passion.
“I think there’s a lot of quirkiness and pride that you can see even when you drive through,” she said.
Find more information about the Coronado Neighborhood Association and their upcoming events on Facebook, Instagram, and their website.
