Gov. Katie Hobbs put her signature on a pair of housing bills Tuesday, making a push for the development of 'casitas' and diversified housing units across Arizona. The legislation, described as a common-sense approach to tackling the state's housing crunch, marks a significant step toward more affordable living options for Arizonans grappling with soaring housing costs.
As reported by AZPM, the governor expressed her satisfaction with the bipartisan effort resulting in the legalization of accessory dwelling units, or casitas. “I’m glad the legislature heard my calls to come to the table to pass common sense, bipartisan legislation that will expand housing options and help mitigate the effects of rising costs to make life more affordable for everyday Arizonans,” Hobbs said in a press release detailed by AZPM. With Casitas providing secondary housing on existing residential lots, Tucson took the initial steps in 2022, soon followed by Phoenix, in paving the way for more inclusive housing practices.
Not without controversy, the new rules laid out in H.B. 2720 will permit cities with a population over 75,000 to set their casita regulations. Despite bipartisan support, the bill drew hesitation when it prohibited municipalities from demanding design uniformity with the primary residence and barred mandating a familial or pre-existing relationship between the main house's occupants and those of the ADU.
Hobbs also endorsed H.B. 2721, mandating larger cities to foster regulations favorable to various housing types, moving beyond solely single-family homes. According to AZPM, Douglas Nicholls, Yuma Mayor and League President, commended the governor's action, asserting, “The League recognizes the urgent need for increased housing supply that’s safe, sustainable, and affordable for all Arizonans.” However, even with the backing for H.B. 2721, the League of Arizona Cities and Towns did not show the same enthusiasm for the statewide casita policy, citing concerns that it might inadvertently feed into short-term rental loopholes.
There are fears that the newly approved measures could trigger a proliferation of units moonlighting as Airbnb's or other vacation rentals, as the League indicated. Yet, Gov. Hobbs assured that the short-term rental issues and real-estate investment speculations, which potentially drive up Arizonan housing costs, will be on the agenda for future discussions. “Moving forward, I hope we can work together to address short-term rentals that displace long-term community residents and crack down on speculation by out-of-state real estate investors that drives up the cost of housing for Arizonans,” Hobbs explained to AZPM.
