In an effort to tackle the housing crunch, Maricopa County is forking over $2.3 million for new digs in Guadalupe, earmarking the funds for affordable housing projects. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors came together in a rare show of unity to pass an agreement, betting on bricks and mortar to provide a roof over more heads.
"Maricopa County is working to ensure more families have a permanent, safe, and affordable place they can call home," District 5 Supervisor Steve Gallardo was quoted as saying. The move is seen as a step not just to address housing scarcity but, to inject vitality into the Guadalupe area, according to Maricopa County.
The pile of cash, courtesy of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), is already showing results with the construction of three houses completed and seven more in the pipeline. It's stated that these three ready houses, with four walls, a roof, and the necessary amenities, have been sold. Next on the list are six more two-stories, set to rise on two plots on Calle Iglesia and Calle Mexico.
The county isn't just throwing money at the problem and calling it a day, though. They're making sure the houses are within reach for those playing their first round in the home-buying game, offering a lifeline to individuals making no more than 80% of the Area Median Income, which for a family of four, caps at $74,800 a year. Energy-efficient and accessible designs are also part of the blueprint, making sure these homes don’t just shelter, but sustain, as reported by Maricopa County.
Indeed, this financing is just one slice of a larger pie, an extensive campaign by Maricopa County to combat the housing crisis dotting the region. Complete details of their housing crusade are up for grabs at the county’s housing webpage. Meanwhile, the County’s Human Services Department stays hustling, slinging a buffet of support ranging from early childhood education to career development programs for its residents.
