PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Monday vetoed a housing reform bill that would prevent local governments from regulating certain aspects of housing design and lot size.
House Bill 2570, also known as the Arizona Starter Home Act, was filed in an attempt to increase affordable housing options.
“Unfortunately, this massive bill goes too far, and we know we can strike a better balance,” Hobbs, a Democrat, said in his veto letter. “This is an unprecedented bill that puts Arizonans at the center of a housing reform experiment with uncertain outcomes.
Opponents of the bill said they did not believe the measure would lead to affordable housing.
Neal Haddad, president of the Greater Phoenix Neighborhood Coalition, said, “This will only flip neighborhoods, and there is no evidence that it will result in more affordable housing.”
The Arizona League of Cities opposed the bill, saying a one-size-fits-all approach would not work for different communities.
President and Yuma Mayor Douglas Nichols said the bill would overwhelm current infrastructure and decades-old local zoning plans.
“This flips everything upside down because you also have six times more roads, water lines, and sewer lines that you would expect to expand for a given type of density,” Nichols said.
Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo said he wants to work with lawmakers on other affordable housing solutions.
“We need to find ways to work together to find solutions that improve the quality of life for all residents, while maintaining local stewardship,” Pizzillo said.
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