By Mark Cowling | Pinal Central
FLORENCE — Even as area communities see record numbers of new homes going up, cities large and small are hurting for affordable housing, city managers said at an online Pinal Partnership breakfast meeting Friday.
Casa Grande needs more workforce housing, more multifamily housing and apartments, Deputy City Manager Steven Weaver said. Amid lots of single-family housing, the city has a few multifamily projects underway.
“We have a great need for that. All of our apartment complexes are completely full. And the prices are going up so much to the point that people can’t afford it,” Weaver said.
Apache Junction City Manager Bryant Powell agreed, “Affordable housing is something we need to face in Arizona. I don’t like the increases that we’ve seen and I worry about our residents being able to keep going.”
Florence Manager Brent Billingsley said a big one for all of Pinal County’s managers will be to maintain water supply and the ability to develop.“ We need all of the folks that are part of Pinal Partnership, as well as Pinal Partnership, to continue working forward in that direction,” Billingsley said. “We will,” forum moderator Jordan Rose said. “And that’s actually Pinal Partnership’s number-one priority right now, is helping with the water situation.”
