Conservatives And Progressives Blast Hobbs For Veto Of “Historic Bipartisan” Bill To Address Housing Crisis

Governor Katie Hobbs is being accused by both progressives and conservatives of hurting Arizona families in the wake of her veto of a bill intended to assist increased home ownership.

“I am deeply saddened and disappointed in the Governor’s decision to veto the Arizona Starter Homes Act,” said Democrat Rep. Analise Ortiz. “HB2570 was a historic bipartisan solution to our state’s housing crisis, and it would have created a pathway to the American dream of home ownership.”

“Our kids can’t afford a home. Today, the Governor sided with bureaucrats, instead of our kids,” Senate President Warren Petersen. “Thanks to her, affordable starter homes remain illegal in Arizona. But it’s not just our kids. Every day, we hear from active-duty military, veterans, young families, young professionals, firefighters, teachers, police officers, service workers, and seniors on fixed incomes that they are either facing the grim reality of becoming homeless or are being prevented from participating in the American dream of homeownership because of outrageous prices, partly due to reckless big government regulations imposed by cities and towns.”

“The Governor has a track record of pushing red herrings to justify her vetoes against commonsense legislation, and her statement today is no different,” said Petersen. “No, this bill does not harm military operations, nor create safety issues for cities. Instead of listening to the citizens, she’s listening to the people who created the problem. This legislation had strong bipartisan support, and this veto will certainly go down as one of her biggest failures.”

Hobbs vetoed HB2570 as housing costs continue to skyrocket in Arizona, forcing communities to pass ordinances allowing their citizens to sleep in their cars, and at a time when it takes four years to develop land and get a new home approved for construction in virtually every Arizona city.

Hobbs was accused by Senate Republicans of worsening the housing shortage crisis in Arizona by vetoing the bill dubbed the “Arizona Starter Homes Act.”

Since January of 2020, the median Arizona home sale price has increased by more than 50% and currently sits at a whopping $430,000. The driving force behind these soaring prices is a supply shortage of roughly 270,000 housing units in Arizona. To bring prices down, supply must increase.

Unfortunately, say conservatives, as developers build new starter homes to meet this demand, they’re faced with radical requirements from cities and towns that are dramatically increasing costs, which are ultimately passed onto buyers. Critics say that cities have essentially made it illegal to build a starter home that comes without all of the bells and whistles that today’s new build homes come with.

The legislation prohibited cities and towns from mandating homebuyers pay for costly amenities they don’t want or mandating the formation of homeowners’ associations. It also gave homebuyers more choices with the aesthetic features of a home, such as paint color, lighting, and roof design.

Supporters say the “status quo currently limits options, which can tack on tens of thousands of dollars to the sale price of a home. Additionally, the bill gave buyers more options with lot sizes, allowing homes to be built on smaller pieces of land, which are less expensive.”