by Cameron Arcand
Hundreds of new affordable housing units are slated to be built in Glendale as part of a $120 million project.
Maricopa County officials announced that the project would break ground on Friday and be completed in two phases.
“Remember what they say about how to eat an elephant: you do it one bite at a time. That’s the mindset we need to have as we look at affordable housing in our region,” Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Clint Hickman said in a statement. “It’s going to take awhile to get our inventory where it needs to be, but the addition of nearly 400 new rentals in the heart of Glendale is an example of how we can address our affordable housing shortage with one investment and one partnership at a time.”
The rentals will have some units dedicated to those who are disabled and special needs, and they will go from $497 to $1,837 a month, according to the statement. Outside of housing, the 12.9-acre development will feature other amenities. The statement noted that $6 million from the American Rescue Plan is going toward the project.
“Every person deserves a roof over their head and a safe place to call home at a price they can afford. Every single government entity along with our business and nonprofit partners should be working toward that end until we have fully addressed the current housing crisis,” Supervisor Steve Gallardo said in the statement. “I know the County will continue to be a willing and generous partner in finding long-term housing solutions for our residents.”
Affordable housing has become a hot-button issue in the Valley as more people move to the area and costs rise across the board. In Glendale, the average rent is $1,509 a month as of October 2022, according to RentCafe.
Urban areas also face a homelessness crisis, as are an estimated 9,000 people homeless in Maricopa County as of last year, according to the county’s “Point-In-Time Homelessness Count.”
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Cameron Arcand is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Affordable Housing” by Will Buckner. CC BY 2.0.
