TITLE
The Mayor and City Council shall consider accepting the final draft of the Housing Needs Assessment Study. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
Per the City Council approved FY16 -17 budget and related Work Plan 2016-17, the Housing Needs Assessment was on the list of work the Development Services Department was directed to implement.
With the culmination of this five-month study, Ms. Rothenberg provided an overview of the key findings in the Study at the June 6 City Council Work Session. Due to enormous size of the final report, it can be accessed via this link.
The consultant selected, Atria Planning LLC, examined hard data from public and private sources, conducted interviews with housing experts and stakeholders, conducted surveys, facilitated focus group meetings, and researched local and regional housing reports, to develop the key findings of this report. The principle finding that developed from the data, surveys, and public feedback, is that Maricopa needs apartments, more affordable housing options, and more diverse housing to serve its existing population. If the City introduces more housing diversity by promoting/supporting the development of apartments, condos, townhomes, and other variations of housing types, the City can be proactive in coordinating this development so that it serves as a catalyst for more investment, including more retail services, employer attraction, and the development of a “town center.”
The Study recommends the city to start the Housing Plan as the next step for more in-depth analysis and implementation of the housing plan.
This item is presented by Zoning Administrator, Kazi Haque.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends acceptance of the Housing Needs Assessment Study final report.