Although the legislative session doesn’t begin until early January, staff at the Arizona Multihousing Association are already making plans for bills to support in 2026.
But sometimes defeating bills is as important as passing them.
Last session, AMA faced down an onslaught of anti-developer and anti-property owner proposals that would have impinged on private property rights, imposed failed market restrictions and potentially endangered residents.
In total, AMA helped defeat more than 40 harmful bills related to the multihousing industry. Thanks to a lot of hard work and years of building relationships with many legislators, most even failed to get hearings in committees.
As we prepare for next year, we hope lawmakers will realize the folly of these bills and not resurrect them. But if they do, AMA will be there to fight every step of the way.
Here are the top bad bills that shouldn’t see the light of day again:
Rent Control: One of the most potentially damaging bills we faced yet again in 2025 was a rent-control proposal. Rent control has failed to lower prices or make properties better for residents in numerous cities across the country. Yet HB2337 and SB1177 sought to repeal provisions in state law that bar cities and towns from imposing any kind of price controls on residential units.
Summer Eviction Moratorium: SB1544 sought to prevent evictions when temperatures are at least 90 degrees for two days in a week. That would have blocked evictions for any resident who refused to pay rent for as much as half the year in the Phoenix metro area. Already, property managers work with residents who have difficulty paying. Eviction proceedings are typically the last recourse. Property owners do not get reprieves from paying loans, payroll and property taxes depending on the season.
Eviction Delay: HB2756 would have forced property managers to lengthen the time a resident can stay in a property after failing to pay rent by requiring more time to file and decide eviction cases.
Ban on Pet Rules: SB1277 would have prohibited property owners from banning any types of dogs, even if they would present a potential danger to other residents nearby.
Owner Caps: SB1209 sought to interfere with the free market by barring corporations or LLCs from buying more than a certain number of homes in each county and the state, including a cap of 100 homes in a larger county in each calendar year. It also would have forced corporations and LLCs to register homes that were purchased with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Together, these proposals would have made it far more difficult to build, operate and maintain quality housing in Arizona. That’s exactly the opposite of what’s needed in a state struggling with explosive population growth, housing supply and affordability. The Arizona Multihousing Association will continue working with lawmakers who understand that stable rules, respect for property rights and a healthy private market are essential to keeping Arizona a place where renters, owners and communities can all thrive.
