To increase housing options in one of the fastest-growing states in the country, Arizona Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs is calling for the extension of what is known as the State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
That initiative, said the Governor this week in her annual State of the State address, has “enabled the development of affordable homes across Arizona, from Prescott Valley to Tucson.”
Launched in 2021, the tax credit program was designed to promote the development of affordable rental housing for low-income individuals and families. According to the Arizona Department of Housing, the program has been the “most successful rental housing program” in the history of the state, “creating thousands of residences with very affordable rents.”
Hobbs said another way of increasing housing is to reduce what she called “red tape” pertaining to the legal definition of a house and where it can be built. She noted that in recent months, Arizona has expanded “access to casitas,” while also spurring the development of new “duplexes and triplexes in our downtowns.”
Hobbs additionally called on members of the Arizona State Legislature to expand what is called the Homes for Heroes Fund. “It will take all of us – state and local governments, non-profits, veterans’ organizations, and others – to see this commitment through.”
The program has provided assistance for veterans, as well as firefighters and law enforcement officers, among others, in purchasing a home. As of last year, the program had provided more than $109 million in support of such transactions.
“Let’s work together to ensure our veterans have a place to call home,” the Governor added.
Hobbs also said she wants to take on what she called the “proliferation of vacation rentals owned by out of state corporations looking for a quick buck.” What she called “housing speculators” are “buying up properties and turning family homes into party houses.”
Such houses, continued the Governor, “are causing chaos in our communities.” In response, Hobbs called on lawmakers to end “top-down government mandates that denies our neighborhood a voice.”
The 2025 session of the Arizona Legislature began on January 13 and is expected to adjourn on April 26.
January 17, 2025
By Garry Boulard