Proposals to expand basic infrastructure and build more housing in Tempe will be determined by voters this November in a series of ballot initiatives.
All of the proposals are moves to address the kind of issues that challenge a city whose population has jumped in the last three decades from around 141,000 to more than 180,000 today.
Proposal number one is officially called the Enhance Community Safety Through Public Safety and Roadway Improvement question and is asking for $301 million of general obligation bonds to fund fire and police department infrastructure, as well as roadway and storm drain projects.
The Improve Quality of Life in Tempe Neighborhoods proposal is calling for $248.5 million in general obligation bonds that will be used for parks, municipal infrastructure, and historic preservation projects.
The final question, simply called the Increase Supply of Affordable Housing proposal, is asking for voters to approve up to $32 million in general obligation bonds to help build and increase the supply of affordable housing in the city.
The affordable housing proposal is in response to what has been described by news sources as a “housing crisis” in Tempe, with the city’s population increasing by 14.7% in the last decade, while only 11.9% in new housing was added.
A study conducted last year by the Matrix Design Group noted that while incomes in Tempe have remained relatively level over the last decade, home prices have jumped by 150%, contributing to the housing challenge.
Tempe voters in the past have been largely supportive of such measures, passing a $241 bond proposal to fund general municipal improvements in 2008 and a $75 million school bond issue in 2012 by wide margins.
By Garry Boulard
Image Credit: Courtesy of Unsplash
