Proposed Legislation Targets Arizona Housing Crisis

Writing in Axios, Jessica Boehm describes proposed Arizona state legislation that seeks to address the state’s housing affordability crisis. 

While lawmakers remain divided on many of the proposed measures, among the bills that could have enough bipartisan support are the Arizona Starter Homes Act, which would bar cities from requiring amenities or design standards that would slow the housing construction process, and SB1415,  which would legalize accessory dwelling units (ADUs), locally known as casitas, in cities with populations larger than 75,000 people.

Another bill, HB2374 would prohibit parking minimums in certain housing developments. Other bills would extend the state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program to finance affordable housing and require that eviction notices include information about assistance programs. Commenting on the proposals, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs said “I would like to see something that strikes the right balance between our ability to build faster and local control.”