PHOENIX — Religious leaders are calling on state lawmakers to act immediately to address the housing crisis in Arizona.
Bishops and faith leaders gathered Thursday morning at the state capitol to call for immediate action on the state's housing crisis.
Actions they want the legislature to take include advancing bills that would increase affordable housing statewide and also renew and expand the state's low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC).
In 2023, the state program financed more than 1,000 affordable housing units.
The state's LIHTC program is set to expire at the end of next year.
"We all suffer from the same thing. The rent just keeps going up and up and up,” said Susan Davis of Chandler.
“There are times when I'm going from one paycheck to the next paycheck that I literally can't go to the grocery store and buy anything. I just have to get by on what I got in my cabinet,” Davis said.
In 2018, Davis' rent was $1,100. Today, it’s $1,900.
She says, “It's the rents and the fees and all the other things that just make it like very scary, honestly to be a senior because we're on fixed incomes, and we only get so much a month and when they keep raising the rent.”
Davis joined faith leaders and lawmakers from both sides to support two bills. The first: HB 2815, known as “Yes in Gods Back Yard”.
About HB2815, Rev. Sarah Oglesby-Dunegan, Minister at Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation said, “Many of our congregations are sitting on unused land that they're eager to convert into affordable housing. This bill would adjust zoning to make it easier to do so. With restrictions on density to ensure projects fit with neighborhoods and requirements that the units be affordable to low- and middle-income people."
Then there’s HB2576. This would renew the state's low-income tax credit.
Both bills work to address a long-term affordable housing solution while leveraging private equity.
