How can I help to revitalize my community?

Consider renting a home or apartment to someone who works in Sedona. Turn your short-term rental unit into a long-term rental for local workers. Support affordable housing construction projects in your neighborhoods.

By supporting affordable housing in Sedona, you help a family afford to live here; children have a sense of stability and the chance to grow and develop in healthy ways; seniors can age in place; and you will help build a more diverse and vibrant community.

Sedona doesn’t need more growth. Why should I support housing development?

Many people who work here can’t afford to live here. Seniors living here cannot find housing that is affordable as their resources dwindle, young people cannot move into their first apartment, much less hope to own a home.

Why can’t people afford to live here?

To be considered “affordable,” housing costs should not exceed 30% of a personal or household income. The Area Median Income (AMI), median home prices and median rental costs also play a factor in this equation. Lack of housing inventory has an impact, too.

Why is it important for people to work and live here?

• Studies have shown affordable housing uplifts residents, encourages social connection, reduces overcrowding, increases adjacent property values, attracts business and jobs, and lowers crime rates.
• Affordable housing is important for children’s futures. There is a strong positive relationship between stable housing and physical and mental well-being. A stable place to call home gives children an adequate space to study, learn and grow in healthy, productive ways.
• Affordable housing maintains quality of life for our seniors and/or disabled citizens. As our senior population ages, many wish to remain in Sedona and downsize to more affordable housing. Linking housing and health care services can bolster the economy, create jobs and enhance quality of life for an aging population.
• Affordable housing developments encourage diversity by creating communities where people of different cultural, socio-economic, and education background can unite. Diverse communities increase the knowledge of cultural sensitivity, fairness, and understanding of different backgrounds – ultimately creating a better community overall.

Why can’t “they” live in Cottonwood / Rimrock / outside the City?

Housing affordability is limited not only in Sedona. Cottonwood has a housing problem, too. So does Clarkdale, Cornville, Camp Verde and the rest of the Verde Valley. Even if housing is secured outside Sedona city limits, other costs such as fuel and daycare must be considered. When these costs rise, people look for a job closer to home, which creates employee shortages in Sedona. Additionally, if one lives and works in a community, one’s kids will be in school there; a parent may coach extracurricular sports there; families may volunteer in that community. Sedona is missing the full depth and breadth of these enhanced community experiences.

Why is the government involved in housing?

Developers must overcome many obstacles, such as funding, permitting, land acquisition, and gaining community support. Government (Federal, State, and local) can offer a variety of grants and tax relief opportunities to ensure that there are enough subsidy funds available to meet the need for affordable housing. Governments can take steps to make sure closing the financing gap is not the obstacle that dooms development.

Affordable Housing - Affordable housing simply means that the household pays no more than 30% of their total household income for housing. Affordable housing for everyone of all income levels is the goal. Affordable housing can be market-rate housing or subsidized housing.

Examples of Affordable Housing
• Workforce Housing. Typically, housing affordable to those households earning 80%-120% of the median income.
• Low-Income Housing. Typically, housing affordable to those households earning less than 80% of the median income.
• Subsidized Housing. Housing that is built, acquired, or sustained with government funding.
• Section 8. Also called Housing Choice Program, it is a voucher program that provides rent assistance to a family household no matter where they live.

Area Median Income (AMI) – Income limits are published annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and are based upon census data. The median household income for Sedona is $58,901.

Co-Housing – Co-housing is a community of private homes clustered around shared space. Each attached or single-family home has traditional amenities, including a private kitchen. Shared spaces typically feature a common house, which may include a large kitchen or dining area, laundry, and recreational spaces. Shared outdoor space may include parking, walkways, open space, and gardens. Households have independent incomes and private lives, but neighbors collaboratively plan and manage community activities and shared spaces. Co-housing facilitates interaction among neighbors and thereby provides social, practical, economic, and environmental benefits.

Community Land Trust – A means of restricting use of land and housing through not-for-profit ownership of land with leases to the land users. It is often used to protect affordable housing from speculation. A typical community land trust for affordable housing works like this: A family or individual purchases a house that sits on land owned by the community land trust. The purchase price is more affordable because the homeowner is only buying the house, not the land. The homeowner leases the land from the community land trust in a long-term (often 99-year), renewable and transferrable lease. (The Trust is owned by everyone in it, so the lease is usually nominal—like $1/month.) All the homeowners agree to sell at a restricted price to keep it affordable in perpetuity, but they may be able to realize appreciation from improvements they make while they live in the house.

Condominium Housing – A condo is a private residence owned by the homeowner in a building or community where the residents share common areas with the other condo owners. When you purchase a home in a condo building, you are buying the actual home and a share of the common elements of the building. For example, these common elements can include yards, garages, rec rooms, lobbies or gyms.

Cooperative Housing – When you buy into a co-op, you don’t technically buy (or own) the property at all. A co-op is a housing unit that is owned and controlled jointly by a group of individuals who have equal shares, membership, and/or occupancy rights to the housing. A co-op is essentially a nonprofit corporation, complete with a board of directors, and each resident is a shareholder. Living in a co-op earns you the right to be a voting member of the building. When you go to sell, the board must approve your new buyer.

Cost burdened – Policymakers and advocates consider a household cost burdened if more than 30% of their income goes towards housing costs. Being housing cost burdened is an indicator that a household may be unable to afford other critical and nondiscretionary costs such as health and childcare, food and transportation.

Density – The average number of housing units per gross acre of land.

Fair Housing Act – Legislation first enacted in 1968 and expanded by amendments in 1974 and 1988 that provides the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary with investigation and enforcement responsibilities for fair housing practices. Prohibits discrimination in housing and lending based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status.

Fair Market Rent (FMR) –The Fair Market Rent is the average rent and utility costs for newly leased, non-luxury rental units with basic amenities. Fair Market Rents are used to set rental assistance payment standards for federal housing programs. HUD determines the FMR to be 40% of the median cost of rental housing in an area.

Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) – HUD's major tenant-based rental assistance program, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers allow low-income households to receive rental assistance in a home of their choice. It is a voucher program and not a type of housing.

Housing First – Before the introduction of the Housing First model, homeless persons were often required to conquer addictions, enter social service programs and accept other terms prior to being provided with housing. Housing First is a model which addresses homelessness by providing housing without a requirement of sobriety or other life changes. Research shows this results in better outcomes, as a stable home is critical to overcoming so many other obstacles.

Inclusionary Zoning – Inclusionary housing policies tie the creation of affordable homes for low- and moderate-income households to the construction of market-rate housing or commercial development. Arizona is one of only seven states that prohibit local governments from enacting mandatory inclusionary zoning. Voluntary inclusionary zoning is allowed in Sedona, which includes offering incentives to developers who volunteer to build affordable housing.

Low-Income Housing – Generally refers to housing for those whose household incomes fall below 80% of the median household income for the area. Based upon the area median household income in Sedona, a household earning below $47,120 is considered low-income in Sedona. “Very low-income” generally refers to those household earning less than 50% of the area median income, or $29,450.

Subsidized Housing –Housing that is built, acquired, or sustained with government funding. For context, the largest subsidy in the U.S. is the mortgage interest deduction.

Transitional Housing –Transitional Housing is temporary housing for homeless individuals and families in anticipation of entry into permanent affordable housing. Transitional Housing is typically an apartment or a room in a shared residence that is combined with or close to supportive services.

Workforce Housing – Sometimes this term is used simply to mean housing for those who work here, but technically it refers to housing for those whose household incomes are between 80% and 120% of the area median income. In Sedona, we generally include household incomes that are up to 150% of the AMI because our market-rate housing is out of reach for a larger portion of our population than what is typical. In Sedona, based on the AMI (see above) of $58,901, households earning between $47,120 and $88,351 are eligible for workforce housing. There are some adjustments made for smaller and larger household sizes.