PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed two pieces of legislation that could potentially add to Arizona's housing stock.
House Bill 2720 will make it easier to construct accessory dwelling units, also known as casitas, on the lots of single-family homes.
House Bill 2721 will prohibit cities from discouraging the development of "middle housing," which consists of duplexes, triplexes and townhouses.
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The two pieces of legislation only apply to cities in Arizona with more than 75,000 residents.
In a statement, Hobbs said the legislation "will expand housing options and help mitigate the effects of rising costs to make life more affordable for everyday Arizonans."
The Grand Canyon State has been grappling with a housing crisis over the last few years that has resulted in rents and home prices rising at significant rates.
"Our children and grandchildren can’t afford to live in the communities that they grew up in. Most Arizonans have been priced out of the housing economy – it’s wrong and un-American,” state Rep. Michael Carbone, R-District 25, said in a statement after the bills were passed by the Arizona House.
HB 2720 specifically stops a municipality from the doing the following:
- Prohibiting the use of either a single-family dwelling or any ADU located on the same lot as separately leased long-term rental housing.
- Requiring a pre-existing relationship between the occupants of a single-family home and ADU located on the same lot.
- Setting restrictions on an ADU that are considered more restrictive than a single-family home within the same zoning area.
- Requiring improvements to public streets as a condition of allowance for an ADU.
The legislation further states that ADUs are allowed on all lots zoned for residential use in a city without any limits if the municipality fails to adopt development regulations by Jan. 1, 2025.
Several cities in Arizona already allow the construction of ADUs, according to the Arizona League of Towns and Cities, which did not support HB 2720 out of the belief that the legislation could create an influx of ADUs being used as short-term rentals.
HB 2721 prohibits a municipality from doing the following:
- Setting restrictions for middle housing that are more restrictive than single-family homes in the same zone.
- Restricting middle housing to less than two floors or a floor area ratio of less than 50%.
The Arizona League of Towns and Cities supported HB 2721 because it encouraged more alternatives to single-family homes.
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