2017’s strong housing market in metro Phoenix gives 2018 a lot to live up to. With 2017 marking one of the ‘best-ever years” for home sales, and price appreciation “strong… but still not back to peak levels of 2006,” AZCentral real estate reporter Catherine Reagor reviews the numbers from the past year and looks ahead to 2018, with “predictions — hopes and concerns, really — from Valley housing market experts.” (Also included, a 76-image SLIDESHOW of the Valley’s Top Home Sales.) http://bit.ly/2Fed2Ur
Senior dev planned near future light rail line. WHAT: Sunland Senior Living — “an 80-unit, three-story senior living complex… with a design that promotes walkability and access to the planned light rail.” WHERE: At the “SEC of South Central and East Sunland.” Who: Bethel Development, Inc. MORE: At AZBEX. http://bit.ly/2mfVFe3
Queen Creek P&Z could take final action on LDS meeting house, residential subdivision plats at Jan. 10 meeting. Queen Creek Independentreports that agenda items include discussion and possible approval of: a major site plan for a new 20,845-square-foot LDS meeting house at Germann and Rittenhouse; a preliminary plat for a 148-lot single-family detached development from Taylor Morrison at Ocotillo and Victoria Lane; a preliminary plat for a 889-lot subdivision from Communities Southwest on Queen Creek Road. http://bit.ly/2qGW7Xq
No snow, high demand aiding Flagstaff home builders. “Miramonte [Homes] is one of two major developers building homes in Presidio in the Pines, where more than 700 units… are under construction or are in the approval process.” KEY QUOTE: “Mother Nature has absolutely helped mitigate the labor shortage by providing us with a warmer winter and longer building season so far…” — Miramonte president Julie Mastriani. The report in Arizona Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2D8coaA
Marina Heights sale affects Q4 office market. “Phoenix’s office market is… promised to see an added boost in high profile Class A and ‘Trophy’ assets, as evidenced by the recent $928M sale of the 2MSF, five building Marina Heights — State Farm campus in Tempe, according to the Q4 2017 JLL Phoenix Office Market Insight report.” Highlights from the report, including “Fundamentals,” charted and graphed, plus JLL execs weigh in on the impact of the Marina Heights sale — at AZBEX. http://bit.ly/2qHMqI3
Facility will turn Mesa Gateway into hub for trade with Mexico. “A facility that inspects goods being sent from American companies to Mexican consumers will open at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway International Airport, Gov. Doug Ducey announced Friday, setting up the airport as an e-commerce hub… Ducey said $230 million will be spent to develop about 360 acres.” KTAR reports that the “new facility will, directly and indirectly, employ about 17,000 people.” http://bit.ly/2AFC77c
PhoenixMart installs security cameras; still progressing. “[T]he chain-link fence that had surrounded the perimeter of the unfinished warehouse was removed because the company has transitioned to video camera monitoring at the site.” Casa Grande Dispatch reports, however, that removal of the fence has caused wild “speculation” among those on social media, including use of an apocalyptic “meme of Homer Simpson.’ ” http://bit.ly/2Fir5Zi
United States Forest Service finalizes plan to protect Apache Leap. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Resolution Copper.) “This is a major milestone and the broad consultation allowed us to understand the concerns of our neighbors [12 Native American Tribes, the town of Superior, members of the public] and make adjustments to our plans to ensure that Apache Leap is fully protected in perpetuity.” — Resolution Copper project director Andrew Lye. More on the Apache Leap plan in AZ Business Magazine. http://bit.ly/2maC4LF
Vote San Tan Valley finance shows low budget, spending. “Up to October, they had only received $2,500, and spent only $24.80, according to campaign finance reports….” But don’t let those low figures fool you into thinking that the city-hood campaign has stalled. San Tan Valley Sentinel reports that the “Vote San Tan Valley has made significant progress in pushing for its goal of getting incorporation on the ballot…” http://bit.ly/2mb2sVk
Festival is chance to help Chandler become ‘a film place.’ “Besides screening more than 150 films, festival highlights include educational workshops, a film auction, film market, after parties each day and an awards ceremony.” Festival founder and CEO Mitesh Patel: “It’s a new thing to the people of Chandler… We want to make the festival bigger, more well-known, and have the ability to spend more money so we can offer more, but we are limited.” East Valley Tribune. http://bit.ly/2FhYgMz
Farmers look for signs Trump has eased opposition to NAFTA. Recently, the agriculture community made a push to lobby President Trump in support of NAFTA. Today, farmers will be looking for signs that the push paid off when President Trump addresses the ag industry in Nashville. Read more in Rose Law Group Reporter. (Also access this RELATED New York Times report: “As Trump appeals to farmers, some of his policies don’t.”) http://bit.ly/2D81BwJ
Sessions takes aim on marijuana enforcement; ‘ignore shock-motivated headlines,’ advises Laura Bianchi, Rose Law Group partner, director of Medical Marijuana Dept. Last week, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the DOJ was “making it easier for the feds to prosecute” violations of federal marijuana laws.” The move sent a “shock wave” of paranoia across states that have legalized recreational/medical marijuana. Not so with Laura Bianchi. See what she’s advising clients in this report from Newburgh Gazette. http://bit.ly/2CQ1t7H
Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2qGLGTN
Long-rumored schools blacklist in Tucson revealed. “Hundreds of former employees of Tucson’s largest school district were blacklisted from ever being employed in the district again — wrongfully, secretly and seemingly illegally… Under new Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo, TUSD recently publicly acknowledged for the first time that it kept a long-rumored, secret ‘Do Not Hire List’ that dated back two decades and contained as many as 1,400 entries.” Arizona Daily Star. http://bit.ly/2CTIA4s
Seems like only yesterday they adjourned at the Capitol. “While public education is expected to be the top issue when lawmakers return on Monday,” opioids, gun rights, water and roads are also shaping up as hot legislative topics. A Capitol Media Services/Howard Fischer report in Arizona Daily Star. (RELATED, from Arizona Daily Sun: “Public school supporters attend rally at Arizona Capitol.”) http://bit.ly/2CGnbYk
DiCiccio, former congressman, team up to tackle the gorilla. “The gorilla that looms over the new year and beyond — Phoenix’s $3.4 billion unfunded pension liability — has prompted city Councilman Sal DiCiccio and [former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz] to push for a voter-driven charter change requiring better controls over spending.” Ahwatukee Foothills News reports that the citizen initiative called “Responsible Budgets” is “part of a nationwide effort to address ‘the out-of-control, unpaid pension liabilities that are destroying cities from coast to coast.’ ” http://bit.ly/2CHAPdX
Deregulating environment only talk, so far. “[T]he Paris climate agreement… The Clean Power Plan rule curbing coal plant emissions… And a host of other federal regulations, from controls on methane emissions to protections for wetlands, remain on the books despite executive orders declaring them void.” The New York Times. http://bit.ly/2m9NyyV
Talking gadgets, connected cars and TVs galore. “While the biggest tech breakthroughs probably won’t show up at the Consumer Electronics Show kicking off today in Las Vegas, it’s a good place to see where the industry as a whole is placing its bets. The big trend: The integration of voice assistants into all kinds of consumer electronics gear, from your TV to your fridge.” Axios. http://bit.ly/2CUQNWh
