Affordable housing is being discussed all over the Phoenix area right now as rents rise and new condos and apartments seem to spring up every month. And, in Tempe, the problem is front and center.
Residents told the city in a recent survey that affordable housing is the most important issue to them and, at the same time, older apartment buildings and a mobile home park in the city have been razed for higher-end options.
Now, Tempe’s City Council is working to address the problem. The council will vote Wednesday night on a plan to boost affordable and workforce housing in the city.
The Show sat down with Tempe’s Vice Mayor Lauren Kuby and Housing Manager LeVon Lamy ahead of the meeting to talk more about it. They say Tempe’s affordable housing landscape isn’t as dire as some other cities, but it’s also their main focus.
But how hard is it for people to afford their housing in the Valley? The Show's next guest said the answer to that question is all about supply and demand.
Tina Tamboer is senior housing analyst with the Cromford Report and, she said, we are at an historic low when it comes to the available housing inventory on the market — especially compared to the demand we have for it.
