By Bob Christie | Capitol Media Services
Lawmakers aligned with both housing advocates and homebuilders are close to striking a deal with cities on a proposal designed to help address Arizona’s housing shortage by boosting construction of townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and similar homes in larger municipalities on land now set aside for single family homes.
The proposed deal will require cities who have long opposed the Legislature’s efforts to preempt their authority over zoning rules to allow the smaller, cheaper homes on lots within a mile of the central business districts of larger cities.
The agreement also requires those cities to permit up to 20% of those smaller multi-family “missing middle” homes in any home development of 10 acres or more. The compromise will apply to 15 cities which have 75,000 or more residents.
The proposal by Rep. Michael Carbone, R-Buckeye, has been stuck in the Senate for weeks after narrowly passing in the House in mid-March. The delay came amid opposition from the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, the association that works to ensure city interests are heard at the Legislature.
Carbone said in an interview Monday that a final deal is in sight.
