Tempe looks to find multifamily zoning space amid new state law

By Madeline Bates
Mail

Tempe will hold a meeting in August for public input to find a solution to accommodate A new state law that requires Arizona cities larger than 75,000 people to rezone areas and allow developers to build multifamily structures in areas zoned for single family homes. 

House Bill 2721 is part of a larger effort to increase housing options in Arizona, especially larger cities where housing, especially affordable housing is sparse.

Tempe’s proposed plan is called the “Middle Housing Overlay District” and affects much of the land south of University Drive and between Interstate 10 and Loop 101. This avoids any space within direct line of Sky Harbor Airport.  Tempe joins other cities like Phoenix and Mesa trying to comply with the law in a way that will best benefit the community before the required deadline of January 2026.

Many comments show concern regarding Tempe's lack of affordable housing and how it contributes to the homeless population. Others are concerned about property values and the traffic associated with new, larger buildings in open spaces. All of the new structures will be held to a development standard with a height of no more than 30 feet.

Jacob Payne, principal planner for the city, said that Tempe and state officials are “looking for clarifications for more practical solutions.”

Payne and others were contacted by the state Legislature through League of Arizona Cities and Towns, a group of Arizona elected officials that represent their cities, to discuss the needs and concerns of each city before passing the law.

Payne says the bill does not exclude historic buildings or spaces and would leave that rezoning up to each owner.

At the first public meeting held in February, one participant named Kendra said “I hope the city takes this seriously and doesn’t just go off the rails,” after sharing frustrations about the lack of affordable housing in the area as well as how she feels that the state is not creating an affective solution.  

Tempe has 3,000 Housing Choice Vouchers available for applicants who can prove the need for assistance in the February and March application timeline. While more housing wouldn’t add to the number of vouchers, it would add space for new residents and allow more choices for all residents.

Tempe has a mix of college students and senior adults living in both multifamily and single-family units across the city of more than 180,000 full-time residents.

Tempe residents can make a public comment on the plan here or attend one of the public meetings on Aug. 4. The city will hold a virtual meeting on Zoom at noon and an in-person meeting at 5:30 p.m at the Clark Park Recreation Center, Cypress Room, at 1730 S. Roosevelt St.

The first Public Hearing will be Oct. 16 and the second and final hearing will be Nov. 6 at the Regular City Council meetings. The public is welcome to comment at both events.