By Corina Vanek | Arizona Republic
One Valley developer is ramping up construction of apartments that are affordable without government subsidies, as housing for people earning Phoenix’s median income remains elusive.
“About 90% of what’s being built only serves less than 20% of the rental population,” said Robert Lyles, co-founder and senior partner of Scottsdale-based Greenlight Communities.
Across the Valley, many apartment complexes planned and under construction are high-end, luxury buildings, leaving them out of reach for average Valley residents.
Lyles said Greenlight provides housing for “essential workers,” with rents hovering around $1,000 per month. In a presentation to the Peoria City Council, representatives from Greenlight showed a breakdown of occupations of those who rent in one of their complexes in the West Valley. Many were employed in health care, service industry, retail, construction and education.
