The Arizona Law and Education Center
(ALEC) represents all Arizonans in advocacy, civil rights, education,
health, law, economic development, housing, procurement, and public policy.
Real Estate:
There is no affordable housing in Arizona. The median price for a new home in
Maricopa County is $221,000. $205,000 is the median price for an existing house.
Hispanics traditionally prefer to live close to families and friends, and
presently there is no affordable housing anywhere in Maricopa County much less
in the inner area of Phoenix. Not only Hispanics but teachers, police,
firefighters, government workers have been locked out the housing market.
Driving up development costs are the cities development fees. The City of
Phoenix development fee for a 1500 s.f. house in the inner city of Phoenix is
approximately $9,000. The development fee for a 1500 s.f. house in an affluent
area such as north Scottsdale is also approximately $9000. The house if you can
find it in the inner city area of Phoenix would sell for $180-220,000 and the
same size house in north Scottsdale would sell for upwards of $400,000. The only
solution to provide affordable housing in Arizona is to have the cities approve
modular construction of affordable housing and eliminate inner city development
fees, thereby dramatically decreasing the cost of construction. A $130,000 3
bedroom stucco house with 2 car garage is achievable using modular construction.
ALEC will establish an Arizona
Real Estate
Task Force to determine how to provide affordable housing throughout Arizona and
formulate recommendations to ALEC for possible actions.
Jon Garrido,
President, Arizona Law and Education Center (ALEC)
