Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Monday that she wants to extend tax breaks for developers who create affordable housing, and the plan may get bipartisan support.
Low-income housing tax credits are an incentive for developers to construct or rehabilitate affordable rental housing.
Historically, those tax credits have been supported by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, the lobbying body for municipalities that lawmakers look to on housing matters.
It’s also a program favored by Republican Rep. Jeff Weninger (R-Chandler).
“I have always been supportive of LIHTC. I have already talked to the governor’s office about some scoring criteria that I think could be important,” Weninger said.
Weninger is the new chair of the House Commerce Committee. He said he still needs to see the details of Hobbs’ plan before committing to it, but notes the program, started under President Ronald Reagan, has a bipartisan history.
Sen. President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) said housing affordability is a priority for him too, but he also bashed Hobbs for a building moratorium she instituted on parts of the Valley due to low groundwater levels.
“We agree with the governor that homeownership has become unaffordable for many Arizonans, but the executive’s mandate halting home construction in two booming areas of the Valley was completely irresponsible and first-time homebuyers are suffering the consequences of sky-high prices,” Petersen said.
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The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is accusing Tolleson of illegally charging firefighters thousands of dollars if they decide to stop working for the city within three years. -
Former President Barack Obama endorsed Gov. Katie Hobbs’ re-election bid on Tuesday. -
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Two Democrats and two Republicans along with a Green Party candidate are contending for two open seats in the upcoming election. -
Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, New Mexico, was the venue for the first debate in late September — while Arizona State University in downtown Phoenix is where the final debate will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
