Flagstaff’s New Approach to Affordable Housing: A Glimpse into Timber Sky
Brian Landau, a long-time Flagstaff resident, has finally realized his dream of homeownership in the city’s Timber Sky development. On a warm evening, he displayed his 500-square-foot home, adorned with art pieces and a road bike, capturing the essence of his new space.
“I definitely have more art than I have wall space,” Landau remarked, reflecting on his journey to owning a home. “I felt, personally, like homeownership for me was going to be a pipe dream. I maybe thought, ‘Maybe a condo or studio type of space.’ But I never thought I’d have my own space, let alone this. I’ve rented all my life.”
Constructed by Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona, Landau’s home marks nearly nine months of residency, making it his first true home since moving to Flagstaff in 2006. His employment history is diverse, ranging from eateries and cafés to the city’s Mountain Line public bus system, with his current role as a medical assistant at Northern Arizona Healthcare.
Flagstaff’s housing market has seen a dramatic increase of nearly 200% in average home prices over the past two decades, while median incomes have only risen by 70%. This disparity led the Flagstaff City Council to declare a housing emergency in 2020, pointing to persistent affordability issues.
A report by Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona underscores the challenge, revealing that over one-third of Flagstaff residents face housing cost burdens.
The Timber Sky project, a collaboration between Habitat and Capstone Homes, aims to counteract these pressures by offering varied housing types, from expansive apartments to individual family homes, catering to a wide spectrum of economic backgrounds. This west Flagstaff neighborhood will eventually feature 40 units, with each household having ownership for up to 10 years, thereby providing a path for wealth accumulation.
Applications are open for 10 new starter homes in Timber Sky, building upon last year’s successful introduction of the first 10 residents, including Landau. “You have a $1,000 down payment, and then you’re paying about $1,100. It’s kind of give or take with insurance and stuff. Of that $1,100, $833 gets saved,” Landau explained. “And so, it’s a great opportunity. I don’t know of many people kind of in our economic status, I guess, able to save that much money in a year.”
Landau hopes this initiative will galvanize further efforts to create sustainable homeownership opportunities, even if it requires difficult discussions about development. “There’re more people wanting to have an opportunity to be a homeowner and there’s not enough space available for that, and so really, for Habitat for Humanity to put 40 homes on the space that they have here is pretty incredible,” he stated. “I really hope it sparks more conversation and more people figuring out how to do this, not whether or not we can do it.”
Despite challenges, Landau believes the community exemplifies a harmonious blend of diverse housing options, saying, “I think it’s more about really being inclusive. Giving people a chance, an opportunity to be a homeowner and to be able to stay in Flagstaff.”
Applications for the new homes are being accepted until October 2, with more than 70 submissions already received for the 10 available units.
In related news, Sen. Mark Kelly, alongside Arizona’s Democratic congressional delegation, is seeking additional congressional funding to aid Grand Canyon National Park’s recovery from recent disasters.
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