Arizona Starter Homes Act: Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoes bill, calling it 'a step too far'

PHOENIX - Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed a bill that proponents say can help alleviate the burden of housing cost for Arizonans.

In a statement released on March 18, Gov. Hobbs announced that she has vetoed HB2570, also known as the "Arizona Starter Homes Act." According to an analysis published by the State Legislature, the bill, had it become law, would have, among other things, banned minimum lot sizes greater than 1,500 square feet for "new developments that are five or more acres in size and that will be platted and located in an area zoned for single-family homes."

The bill would also have banned "minimum square footage or dimensions for a single-family home" and "maximum or minimum lot coverage for a single-family home and any accessory structures."

The bill is "a step too far," Gov. Hobbs says

In her statement, Gov. Hobbs called the bill "unprecedented legislation that would put Arizonans at the center of a housing reform experiment with unclear outcomes."

"Unfortunately, this expansive bill is a step too far, and I know we can strike a better balance," Gov. Hobbs wrote, in the statement.

In her veto letter to state legislators, Gov. Hobbs wrote that the bill has "unexplored, unintended consequences that are of great concern," stating that Department of Defense officials contacted her office to express opposition over concerns of increased housing density near military installations and its potential impact on safety. She also wrote that firefighters have expressed public safety concerns over increased density "without corresponding improvements to roads and public infrastructure," and its potential for traffic jams during evacuations or delays in emergency response times.

"While this expansive proposal is not the right step for our state, I believe there is great promise in other legislative efforts to build more attainable housing," read a portion of the veto letter.

State Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat who voted for the legislation introduced by Republican Rep. Leo Biasiucci, said she was "deeply saddened and disappointed" by Hobbs’ veto.

Ortiz said in statement that the bill "was a historic bipartisan solution to our state’s housing crisis and it would have created a pathway to the American dream of homeownership that too many Arizonans find themselves locked out of."

Ortiz added that "while other states are proactively addressing housing in an urgent and deliberate manner, Arizona continues to kick the can down the road."

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)