City program turned around dying strip malls
After the Loop 101 and 202 freeways opened, traffic patterns changed in Chandler, leaving some retail centers in the dust. Intersections were seeing commercial vacancy rates higher than 50 or 60 percent. The city started a project called 4-Corner to help businesses, and while it’s generally a success, Micah Miranda, the city’s economic development director, […]
Meet the Latest Housing-Crisis Scapegoat
“Investors” are often blamed for skyrocketing housing prices, but the real culprit, according to this author’s research, is—say it altogether now—lack of supply. And why is this? Because of a “complex web of rules and regulations that prevent developers—profit and nonprofit alike—from building enough housing to meet demand.” The writer urges elected officials to remove […]
Developer-city battle hangs over Buckhorn Baths
Mesa city planners and Aktar Verma, who owns the historic yet dilapidated Buckhorn Baths, are sparring over plans for the site. Verma wants to preserve the baths, which have a historic overlay, but first develop 210 apartments on the adjacent 11 acres to help fund the restoration of the structures. City planners want the complex […]
An affordable housing complex has caused controversy in Chandler. What’s true?
Chandler residents have been aggressively protesting a development of more than 500 affordable apartments for families and seniors on Ocotillo Road near Arizona Avenue. They’ve stormed city council meetings and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which ultimately has the final say on approval. A reporter dug into some of the details here. First, the […]
Mario Kart-inspired apartments planned for Roosevelt Row in Phoenix
A video game is the inspiration for 36 new apartments near First and Portland in downtown Phoenix. Rainbow Road, named after the final course in all the Mario Kart games, is the brainchild of developer Zac Cohen and architect Lev Libeskind, who envision architecture as “livable works of art” and hope the project will inspire […]
Phoenix may consider ban on housing voucher discrimination to aid renters
Phoenix is waiting to see if Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes reverses a decision by her predecessor that issued a non-binding ruling saying Tucson’s source of income ordinance is unconstitutional. If so, the city plans to pass a similar ordinance, stripping property owners of the right to choose to whom they rent. Cities face losing […]
Sheraton, 50th Street projects continue advance
It looks like Ahwatukee Foothills residents will get plenty of fancy new neighbors. The city and county look poised to approve plans by developers to rehabilitate the Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix Hotel just off I-10 and Elliot Road into apartments and add more, and to raze an underutilized office complex on 50th Street north […]
Residents confront developer on Landings apartments
A three-hour meeting at Chandler’s Hamilton High School brought out everything but torches and pitchforks as residents vehemently opposed affordable apartments in the city that would bring 336 units for families and 182 for seniors. Opponents incorrectly harped on the project as being “government subsidized” and “section 8,” the latter of which doesn’t even exist […]
Analysis: Multifamily is Doing Fine
Multifamily investor CP Capitol says gloomy reports about a slowdown in that sector are not to be believed. Demand continues to outpace supply, and employment, income and demographic trends are all rosy. Double-digit rent growths weren’t sustainable anyway, so slighter increases are nothing to worry about. Developers are taking a pause, but that was normal […]
Nationwide Rent Control?
Democrats in Congress are urging President Biden to strip local control on housing policy by enacting measures that they claim will help tenants, and the White House is considering executive actions. The progressives want anti-price gouging protections and just cause eviction standards in rental properties with government-backed mortgages. They also want the Federal Trade Commission […]
