Arizona Lawmakers Can Pass These Bills To Increase Housing Affordability
The Arizona Multihousing Association continues to advocate for property managers at the state Legislature and several pieces of legislation that can reshape the homebuilding industry remain in play.
A recent poll by Noble Predictive Insights shows Arizonans want policy leaders to tackle the high costs of housing. The poll found 12 percent of voters rate housing affordability as the top issue facing the state while 40 percent place it in their top 3. In fact, the poll found that 28 percent of respondents feel housing costs are so high they have considered leaving the state.
The AMA went into the 2025 legislative session focused on bringing more inventory across all types of housing. Several bills still working their way through the process promise to help cut the housing shortage faced in both the rural and urban areas of Arizona.
Nothing frustrates developers more than the municipal bureaucratic red tape that slows projects to a crawl. Not long ago, developers could go from permit to turning shovels within about six months. Now, it’s not uncommon for that process to take up to four years.
Two years ago, the Legislature allowed local governments to skip public hearings and provide administrative approvals, substantially cutting the time to bring units to market.
Now, HB2447 from House Majority Leader Michael Carbone mandates municipalities set up a process for administrative reviews of some new developments. Public participation remains an important component even in these new administratively approved projects. Public comment would still be required before final approval. And the projects targeted would be ones that already meet zoning regulations and building codes.
Last year, the Legislature made it easier to turn underutilized commercial real estate into multihousing units. Cities could convert 10 percent of office and commercial buildings into housing without the normal cumbersome rezoning process. Some cities were more enthusiastic about this new tool than others. The ability to reuse vacant office and commercial buildings provides real opportunities to take a bite out of the state’s housing shortage.
Rep. Leo Biasiucci’s HB2110 would mandate cities and towns set aside a minimum 10 percent of these properties for reuse. Not only does Arizona add to its housing stock but cities can give blighted or abandoned properties new life.
Freshman Rep. Nick Kupper’s HB2068 deals with a thorny issue – tenants bringing assistance animals to a rental property. The bill as amended in the Senate gives liability protections in case the assistance or service animal causes damage or harm.
The AMA is tracking a number of housing related bills but these have both significant impact and a strong likelihood of making to Gov. Katie Hobbs’ desk for her signature.
Finding safe and affordable places to live remains one of the state’s most pressing issues and the AMA is hopeful the Legislature and Gov. Hobbs make progress this year to lower the costs of housing in Arizona so we can continue to grow and prosper.
