$425K housing study approved by Pima County Supervisors, 3-2 | News

PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KVOA) — Nearly $430,000 is going towards a housing market study, that’s what Pima County Supervisors recently approved.

Leaders hope that this study can eventually help to create a public dashboard to show current and future housing supply.

In a 3 to 2 vote a research firm called Econorthwest will now have a year to compile a housing market study for Pima County.

The goal is that once the study is complete that it will eventually make way for the county to create a public online dashboard showing what the current housing demands are and what they will look like in six years time.

“Not only how much housing we need, but where we need it and what particular types,” said Rex Scott, District 2 Supervisor.

So why did two supervisors oppose it? The study’s nearly $430,000 price tag.

“I have an issue with this, cause I feel like we have a pretty significant need for affordable housing I don’t know how an additional study telling us that would either change the resources we have to address it or the work that’s currently being done,” said Adelita Grijalva, Chair and District 5 Supervisor.

Another goal for this study is to show the number of homes that are at risk of eviction and the demand for different types of housing.

Supervisor Rex Scott voted yes on this study and points out that the City of Tempe currently has an online dashboard showing current housing demand.

“They’re continually updating the data and that’s something that’s going to be important for Pima County as well, there shouldn’t be a static data set,” Scott said.

So where is the money coming from? Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher says it’s coming from Pima County’s “Regional Affordable Housing fund,” which has a yearly budget of $5 million, but Supervisor Matt Heinz says this money was approved from the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year.