What to know about Arizona's new casitas law
PHOENIX - Homeownership has become a pipe dream for many Arizonans who say the price to buy a home is simply out of reach.
Some of that has been attributed to a lack of available housing.
A recent ASU study found Arizona is short 270,000 homes. A new law aims to solve that problem, but some are skeptical about what it means.
The new casitas law passed in Arizona allows the building of auxiliary dwelling units, ADUs, also known as casitas or guest homes.
Not everyone thinks this will help the housing shortage.
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"I first moved into this neighborhood in 1983," said Shauana Barkley.
In the years since, Barkley noticed a lot of changes to her Arcadia neighborhood.
"People are coming in, ripping out all of the little houses to make room for the very big houses," she said.
That itself makes it harder and harder for young families to afford homes.
That's when her sister bought the lot behind hers – with a plan.
"The idea is to eventually build a little house in the back. She can move in the little house in the back and her daughter, kids, grandkids, and everyone is close to the family," Barkley said.
It's a plan they’re looking to take advantage of, following a new law.
Just this week, Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2720, allowing for the construction of guest homes into some Arizona residences.
Cities with more than 75,000 people now have to allow ADUs to be built on single-family home lots within a mile of "central business districts."
"In the past 10 years, affordable housing options have all but disappeared," said Xenia Orona, executive director of Fuerte Arts Collective.
The group advocates for housing affordability.
She says the casita law allows families to build a backyard home for their adult children or senior parents.
"This being available for folks makes this more possible and more comfortable for folks who are supporting each other, either through the growth of their families, trying to purchase their own first home themselves, or as they are aging in dignity," Orona said.
Not everyone is in support.
"The key piece of that opposition relates to how the bill treats short-term rentals," said Rene Guillen, deputy director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.
Guillen fears the law won’t help those it’s designed to help.
"If this was a housing bill, we wanted housing units. We wanted housing units, not Airbnbs. We want to help those who are looking for permanent residence, not those who are necessarily coming on a temporary or a touristic type basis," Guillen said.
As for Barkley, she eagerly awaits the day her sister, nieces and kids will be steps away.
Some residents also shared concerns of excessive parking in their neighborhoods if signed into law.
Governor Hobbs addressed the concerns about short-term rentals in a statement, saying she hopes to address the issue in the future along with cracking down on out-of-state real estate investors driving up housing prices.