A new plan is underway in the city of Phoenix to try to bring more affordable housing to residents.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego last month announced the city’s first Housing Phoenix Plan, which establishes a goal of creating or keeping 50,000 homes by 2030 to address the city’s housing shortage. The COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn have exacerbated the existing housing crisis in Phoenix. The Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Market Rents said in Arizona the cost of a two-bedroom apartment is $1,097. In order to afford this, as well as utilities, a household would need to earn $43,892 a year or an hourly wage of $21.10, which is more than $9 above the state’s minimum wage, according to a news release from Gallego’s office.
The Housing Phoenix Plan outlines the findings of the city’s Affordable Housing Initiative, which kicked off last year with the goal of finishing a housing needs assessment and setting up policy recommendations to tackle the city’s current housing challenges. This plan identifies the community’s housing needs, describes the housing gap, compiles national best practices and suggests nine policy measures to reach the goal of creating a stronger, more vibrant city via increased housing options for all. Some aspects of the plan include changing current zoning ordinances to facilitate more housing options, redeveloping city-owned land with mixed-income housing and supporting affordable housing legislation.
Public supporters of the plan include the Arizona Housing Coalition, Arizona Multihousing Association, Downtown Voices Coalition, Greater Phoenix Leadership and Phoenix Community Alliance.
To learn more about the plan, visit phoenix.gov/newsroom/housing/1409.
