Senator met with ADOH Director Joan Serviss and Primavera Foundation CEO Tisha Tallman to discuss expanding affordable housing options
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema met with Arizona Department of Housing Director Joan Serviss and Primavera Foundation CEO Tisha Tallman to discuss the steps needed to ensure everyday Arizona families have access to safe, affordable housing.
“We’re bringing Arizonans together to deliver real, lasting solutions addressing the housing shortage,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee.
Noting how the lack of affordable housing directly impacts the rise of homelessness, the Senator detailed her ongoing support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act. Sinema also detailed the need to find solutions in addition to building new homes, such as helping homeowners rehabilitate homes that have fallen into disrepair, getting more entry-level homes on the market, and renovating commercial real estate into safe, affordable, multi-family housing.
According to a December report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, homelessness in Arizona rose by a staggering 23% from 2020 to 2022. At the same time, the median price of homes in Phoenix rose by more than $100,000 between January 2021 and July 2022 – illustrating the severity of the homelessness crisis and affordable housing shortage.
Last month, Sinema convened two events with leading housing stakeholders in Phoenix – one focused on homelessness and services, and one around housing supply and affordability. Sinema first toured UMOM, the largest shelter services provider in Maricopa County and saw firsthand how their innovative model provides child care and workforce development alongside shelter services. Afterwards, Sinema brought industry stakeholders and affordability advocates together to assess the market in Arizona, identify supply chain challenges that hold capital investment back, and craft solutions to those challenges.
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