Phoenix, Arizona

====Neighborhoods====
[[File:Phoenix Urban Villages.svg|thumb|alt=a graphic representation showing how Phoenix is broken up into 15 urban villages|Map of the urban villages of Phoenix]]

Since 1979, the city of Phoenix has been divided into [[urban village]]s, many of which are based upon historically significant neighborhoods and communities that have since been annexed into Phoenix.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phoenix.gov/pdd/pz/village-planning-committees |publisher=City of Phoenix |title=Village Planning Committees |access-date=March 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325080714/https://www.phoenix.gov/pdd/pz/village-planning-committees |archive-date=March 25, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Each village has a planning committee appointed directly by the city council. According to the city-issued village planning handbook, the purpose of the village planning committees is to "work with the city's planning commission to ensure a balance of housing and employment in each village, concentrate development at identified village cores, and to promote the unique character and identity of the villages."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phoenix.gov/pddsite/Documents/pdd_pz_pdf_00020.pdf |publisher=City of Phoenix |title=The Village Planning Handbook |page=1 |access-date=March 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327021820/https://www.phoenix.gov/pddsite/Documents/pdd_pz_pdf_00020.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There are 15 urban villages: [[Ahwatukee, Phoenix|Ahwatukee Foothills]], [[Alhambra, Phoenix|Alhambra]], [[Camelback East, Phoenix|Camelback East]], [[Central City, Phoenix|Central City]], [[Deer Valley, Phoenix|Deer Valley]], Desert View, [[Encanto, Phoenix|Encanto]], [[Estrella, Phoenix|Estrella]], [[Laveen, Arizona|Laveen]], [[Maryvale, Phoenix|Maryvale]], North Gateway, North Mountain, Paradise Valley, [[Rio Vista, Phoenix|Rio Vista]], and South Mountain.

The urban village of Paradise Valley is distinct from the nearby [[Paradise Valley, Arizona|Town of Paradise Valley]]. Although the urban village is part of Phoenix, the town is independent.

In addition to the above urban villages, Phoenix has a variety of commonly referred-to regions and districts, such as [[Downtown Phoenix|Downtown]], [[Midtown, Phoenix, Arizona|Midtown]], Uptown,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phoenix.gov/pddsite/Documents/ReinventPHX%20Uptown%20District%20Profile.pdf |publisher=City of Phoenix |title=ReinventPHX District Profile: Uptown |access-date=October 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102180553/https://www.phoenix.gov/pddsite/Documents/ReinventPHX%20Uptown%20District%20Profile.pdf |archive-date=January 2, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> West Phoenix, [[North/Northwest Phoenix|North Phoenix]], [[South Phoenix]], [[Biltmore Area]], [[Arcadia, Phoenix, Arizona|Arcadia]], and [[Sunnyslope, Phoenix|Sunnyslope]].