Bipartisan Starter Homes Act to Make Homeownership Affordable for Hardworking Arizonans Passes Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 

Bipartisan Starter Homes to Make Homeownership Affordable

for Hardworking Arizonans Passes Senate

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Hardworking Arizonans are one step closer to achieving the American dream of homeownership after Senate Republicans passed the Arizona Starter Homes Act today with bipartisan support. The bill now heads to the House for consideration.

SB 1229, sponsored by Senator Shawnna Bolick, legalizes smaller homes on smaller lots while also allowing homebuyers to choose the amenities and design features of a home, instead of local governments, making costs more affordable. The bill essentially legalizes homes once built decades ago in Arizona, which are still found in communities across the state today but have since been regulated out of existence within today's homebuilding industry. Under the proposal, the bill also prevents regulations to mandate expensive HOAs, while still protecting health, safety, and building code regulations to keep neighborhoods safe.

"Both Senate Republicans and Democrats agree that the Arizona Starter Homes Act is a commonsense solution to help Arizona families, teachers, first responders, young professionals, and other working-class citizens who've been priced out of the housing market, the ability to afford a home and start creating generational wealth," said Senator Bolick. "The bill also protects private property rights from big government overreach. After the Governor's irresponsible veto of this bipartisan, life-changing legislation, we've addressed her concerns in SB 1229, and I'm optimistic she will take the right action this time by signing the bill when it hits her desk."

"Polling shows a majority of Arizona voters are sick and tired of skyrocketing housing costs and are demanding their elected leaders take action," said Senate President Warren Petersen. "Data shows the average age for a first-time homebuyer in Arizona is 38 years old, and the average price for a home is nearly a half million dollars. Government has prevented an entire generation from being able to purchase a home and create wealth. This is insane, and fixable, if government gets out of the way."

"Today’s bipartisan vote is a result of weeks of negotiations to make the Arizona Starter Homes Act as effective as possible at achieving its goal: to make homeownership attainable for hardworking Arizona families once again," said Senator Analise Ortiz. "Throughout this process, we’ve asked skeptics of the bill how old they were when they purchased their first home and how much it cost. Overwhelmingly, we discovered almost everyone was in their mid-20s and bought their homes for $150,000 or less. Today, my generation is entirely locked out of these opportunities well into our late 30s. At 31, I cannot afford to own a home where I was born and raised and currently govern. This commonsense effort will ensure government regulations do not get in the way of a family’s ability to buy a home that fits their budget and their needs."

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For more information, contact:

Kim Quintero

Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus

kquintero@azleg.gov