Showdown over assisted living homes headed to Paradise Valley Council

By Philip Haldiman
Mail | X: @PhilipHaldiman

A proposal in Paradise Valley to reduce occupancy in local assisted living facilities from 10 to six residents is headed to a showdown.

Those who support the reduction in residents do not like the commercial or business character of these homes and say they do not align with the town’s low-density, single-family character.

The opposition says there is great value and need for the small scale senior living homes in Paradise Valley that can keep families in close proximity as their loved ones age. They say that overall, reducing the number of residents will do more harm than good.

The town has been discussing the issue over the last two months, and the divergent viewpoints will come together at a public council meeting for a final vote Jan. 22.

Leading up to this point, the planning commission was divided on the issue and even considered a motion to table the item and come back with an alternative proposal. That motion failed, but the commission was still divided on the proposal, 4-3.

Still, the opposition may have a hard road ahead.

At a study session Jan. 8, the town council discussed the item, and the consensus was that all councilors would likely support the text amendment to reduce the occupancy in local assisted living facilities, as well as modify the parking associated with the homes to be all on-site.

At the study session, councilors said assisted living homes in town are commercial endeavors, instigated through state statue and not town ordinance, and do not fall under the town’s general plan.

Councilor Julie Pace said she has had multiple complaints about the facilities. Conversely, town police say there have been very few noise/parking issues in the last four years on these properties.

Councilor Anna Thomasson said she is grateful the current facilities will be grandfathered in.

“We are a single family residential community and anything we can do to bring us closer to that standard, and keep us to that standard, is something that I am passionate about, and I appreciate staff brining this modification forward,” she said. “Let us not forget this is a commercial enterprise and so asking a commercial enterprise to park on the property is very reasonable.”

There are 12 existing assisted living homes in Paradise Valley and one that is under construction.

Lifelong resident Scott H. O’Connor, a former PV planning commissioner and councilmember, said many people at these homes are already town residents and can legally vote in town elections, or are the parents of town residents.

If they physically could, he said, they’d be at the public hearings themselves demanding answers.

O’Connor said he doesn’t have a “dog in this hunt,” and has no financial interest in any current or future group homes, but he did have parents who required assisted living.

“My mom spent her last years in one of these in Paradise Valley, where she could see her beloved Praying Monk on Camelback, which had been in her views from two prior town residences, and where we could dash over quickly and easily from our PV home. About 20 years ago, dad spent his last two years in one near 19th Avenue and Glendale that was more specialized for Alzheimer’s patients. It was a lot further away, so he got a bit less visitation. In retrospect, I wish there had been a more specialized facility for him in PV,” O’Connor said. “I beg the town council, please take a deep breath and back off this current proposal. Give it some more thought and take into consideration our changing community needs.”

Senior News Editor Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on X @philiphaldiman. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Philip Haldiman
Senior News Editor | Peoria

phaldiman@iniusa.org

Meet Philip
Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.

Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.

Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater. 

Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.

Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.