Scottsdale’s plan has been approved by voters, but will it hold up if the valley’s population grows by more than a million people?
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottsdale has a plan. It was endorsed by voters and is expected to shape the city’s growth for the foreseeable future. However, will he resist if the population of the valley increases by more than one million people?
Scottsdale has seen a price spike over the past two years.
According to Redfin, the median home in Scottsdale is nearly $800,000. Two years ago, the median home sold for around $500,000.
Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega and Scottsdale Councilwoman Tammy Caputi said there is not enough affordable housing in Scottsdale.
“Demand greatly exceeds supply. It’s an economic problem,” Caputi said.
Maricopa Government Association Projects The Valley will grow by 1.5 million people over the next few decades.
Scottsdale plans to grow by 60,000.
With so many people, will the problem of affordable housing get worse?
“We have a very orderly land use map,” Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega said. “Scottsdale has no reason to grow beyond the plan we have right now.”
The plan would limit “urban neighborhoods” of more than eight units per acre (often apartments) to 2% of the city area.
“We are Scottsdale. We don’t plan to be a metropolis,” Mayor Ortega said.
However, developers say regulations need to change to allow more buildings in more places.
Scottsdale limits the number of units and height a resort can build.
“It’s very difficult to get affordable housing projects done with all of these requirements,” said Scottsdale Councilwoman Tammy Caputi.
Scottsdale is not the only city facing such questions. As the valley grows, local governments must try to find the right balance between preserving their identity and finding a way to promote affordable housing.
Mayor Ortega points out that the city has set aside $15 million that could be used to help affordable housing projects.
“I challenged multi-family builders to come up with solutions,” Ortega said.
However, Caputi said the money was not enough. “An average apartment building can cost a developer north of $150 million. I’m not sure what we would do with the $15 million.”
Booming city
In our ‘Boomtown’ series, 12News looks at the valley’s explosive growth over the past few decades, the consequences that have come with it and a glimpse of what it all means for our future as more than 1.5 million people would have to move. the Valley by 2040.