A move designed to make easier the process of designing and building a home in Arizona has now been introduced in the state legislature and is currently under review in the House Commerce Committee.
Introduced by Arizona Republican Representative Leo Biasiucci, the Starter Homes Act will allow for a change of rules at the local level governing the development of smaller and less expensive homes.
House Bill 2371 sets minimum lot sizes at 1,500 feet and prohibits localities from enforcing any existing zoning rules governing tiles, walls, and the painted color of a home. Arguing that in enforcing such mandates local governments have been exceeding their authority, Biasiucci has said that such requirements should more properly be the province of a homeowners association.
According to an analysis of the bill provided by the Arizona Legislature, Biasiucci’s legislation would not “supersede applicable building codes, fire codes, or public health and safety regulations.” The legislation would also not apply to lots or parcels “located on tribal land, land in high noise or accident potential zone of a military or ancillary military facility.”
An earlier version of the bill was opposed by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. Although that legislation ended up being narrowly approved by lawmakers, Arizona Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed it.
In making that veto, Hobbs said she was concerned that what she called an “unprecedented legislation” would “put Arizonans at the center of a housing reform experiment with unclear outcomes.”
Supporters of the Starter Homes Act are hoping that the ongoing need for new affordable housing construction in the state, along with some modifications to the original legislation, may see it passed in both chambers this year while avoiding a second Hobbs veto.
February 3, 2025
By Garry Boulard