In a bid to tackle Arizona’s housing crisis, a legislative proposal allowing churches to lease their land for housing development has faced significant opposition. Despite attempts to amend the bill, the Arizona House rejected the measure, reflecting intense debate over community impact and zoning laws.
The proposed legislation aimed to enable established churches to lease parts of their property to developers for building single-family homes. However, concerns over potential high-density housing and the threat to local zoning regulations led to its downfall, despite modifications intended to allay opponents’ fears.
A notable decision by the House was to prevent proponents from reintroducing the bill, HB 2191, for another vote. This move complicates efforts to revive the bill, although alternative legislative routes remain available.
While the initiative was seen as a method to alleviate the housing shortage in the state, it sparked resistance from community groups and local governments, worried about the undermining of zoning laws. Among the opposition was Rep. Lupe Diaz (R-Benson), a pastor, who raised the issue of churches potentially losing their tax-exempt status and highlighted the implications of federal fair housing laws.
According to Diaz, “The housing is going to be available to the general public, No. 1, which means that (anyone), contrary to what you believe, can come in.” He humorously noted, “It could be a witch coven. It could be Satanists who move in, and that puts the church in a very critical position and very vulnerable position for lawsuits and that kind of thing.”
The debate also exposed concerns among some Republicans about overriding municipal zoning regulations—a topic they have previously supported in different housing legislation. Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) expressed his trust in constituents to decide what’s best for their communities without external interference.
Kolodin articulated his stance, saying, “They’re smart people, they’re hard-working people, they’re thoughtful people, and they’re people who are driven to do the right thing. My voters do not need me to screw things up for them and to ruin what they’ve worked so hard for.”
Despite the housing crisis acknowledgment by both Kolodin and Diaz, neither supported the state overriding local zoning decisions. The measure secured 28 votes in favor versus 26 against, crossing party lines, but required a majority of the full 60 House members for approval.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. David Livingston (R-Peoria), made several amendments to gain support, including limiting developments to single-family homes and setting restrictions on building proximity to existing neighborhoods. However, these changes were insufficient to secure the necessary votes.
Livingston urged, “It’s tough to get enough votes on this bill today with six members missing, but I’m asking for your yes vote.” He assured that further modifications could be made should the bill advance to the Senate.
Rep. Khyl Powell (R-Gilbert) shared his apprehensions about the bill’s potential for developers to exploit density bonuses, leading to more homes than intended. He expressed uncertainty about the bill’s limitation to only single-family homes.
“They say that townhouses won’t be allowed, but still, there’s a possibility that it could be worked in there by developers,” Powell commented.
From the Democratic side, Rep. Sarah Liguori (D-Tucson) emphasized the urgency of addressing the housing shortage, particularly for young people facing affordability challenges. She pointed out, “There are many things with housing that we cannot control. We can’t control the price. We can’t control the labor. But we must be working on the issues that we can control. And what this bill is attempting to do is to help bring a little bit of ease for housing to be built in our communities statewide.”
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