An Interesting discussion ensued on Arizona Agenda’s (please consider becoming a paid subscriber, like me!) boozy livestream tonight about Gov. Hobbs’ veto of a bi-partisan zoning and code reform bill to override some city restrictions that prevent the construction of lower cost housing. The first third of the session with Rep. Ortiz (her TikTok is killing it) was spent in discussion of the reasons for Hobbs’ veto of the compromise bill, the power of the cities in Arizona housing politics, and the prospects for code and zoning reform to increase our lower-cost housing supply in Arizona in the future.
As a bit of an urban planning geek, I found the discussion substantive and insightful, so I thought I would share it with readers who share my peculiar interests. The relevant discussion begins almost immediately – about 4 minutes in – and is sustained for a good 40 minutes.
I really loved the point that Rep. Ortiz made contrasting the new policy in Sedona to allow workers to sleep in their cars for a fee with Arizona cities opposing zoning reform as an neat encapsulation of the utter hypocrisy of the politics around housing reforms.
Of course, the entire interview is well-worth your time! Watch it all!
Thanks to Hank and for apparently being as much a planning geek as myself and for creating a great informal discussion with one of our most dynamic and knowledgable new legislators advocating for the interests of our working and middle classes! This is exactly the sort of policies we have to push forward with to demonstrate the Democratic Party’s support for the interests of regular working families of America and take back the gains Republicans have made recently among the working and middle class by exploiting cultural issues.
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Great points, Francis. I certainly don’t mind being disagreed with by someone who is knowledgable and actually makes a reasoned argument. Would you like to more fully develop this case in an article? I would love for you to complete these thoughts for other readers!
Sorry. I would normally agree with you on most issues, but both of you are making too many sweeping assumptions about the history of housing policy and the potential affect of this legislation. And with the history of mindless pre-emptions on city governments by the legislature, your assumptions about the power of the League is also wrong. (See plastic bags, the hysteria about eminent domain, and short term rentals as three examples) Also there are over 90 cities in Arizona with much different housing and development dynamics, and sweeping state mandates would not be apropriate in all cases. There are kernals in this legislaton, like ADU allowances and parking standards that are good beginning points. But without reigning in vacation rentals and investor groups distorting the housing market, all these pre-emptions don’t guarantee the housing issue can be solved. Also this emphasis on zoning ignores the more powerful land use dynamics, water and infrastructure extention policies which encourage never ending sprawl. And whatabout age specific regulations. Dont touch that with a ten foot pole. So whats needed is a more comprehensive approach. This legislation smacks of easy simple solutions, which is a fantasy. Good on the Governor and the League.