Scottsdale City Council Candidate Raoul Zubia Calls Out Councilman Barry Graham for Voting Againt Affordable Housing Project

Three years ago, on September 19, 2023, Scottsdale City Councilman Barry Graham had a choice on whether he would fund the creation of 28 affordable housing units at the Paiute Neighborhood Center.

While Graham did vote for one measure funding renovations at the Center, he voted against the agenda items that would have funded the affordable housing units, calling them “a homeless shelter.”

Please click here to see the video link where Graham makes that assertion about the affordable housing projects.

Scottsdale City Council Candidate Raoul Zubia, who was an activist and board member for Partners for Paiute, advocating for the 28 affordable housing units in 2023, took exception to Graham’s characterization of the projects, stating:

“Graham opposed the full plan for renovating the Paiute Neighborhood Center, especially bridge housing for Scottsdale seniors losing their homes. Another post here that omits the full story. he voted against Items 24 and 25, the two Paiute measures dealing with the separately funded housing component. Those measures would advance The Residence at Paiute, including 28 affordable/transitional housing units. Both passed 5–2, with Graham and Kathy Littlefield opposed.”

In a followup comment to Blog for Arizona on Graham’s votes, Zubia said:

“As a board member of Partners for Paiute, I’m offended by the characterization of this project as a homeless shelter. That is not what was proposed. The city’s own documents are clear: the Residence at Paiute was proposed as 28 housing units: 22 affordable housing units and six bridge-housing units.  Councilman Graham voted against two measures related to the Residence at Paiute project, which would have expanded the campus with affordable housing serving Scottsdale residents, including seniors and families experiencing housing instability. People can disagree with the proposal, but they should accurately describe what it was. I’m troubled that my opponent often mischaracterizes projects or tries to look like a champion for projects he worked to undermine.”