AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ZONING As Bisbee continues to address its affordable housing challenges, the city is exploring innovative zoning changes and leveraging grants to support housing development. City Planner Hartman provides a comprehensive look at the current housing landscape in Bisbee. “Our median household income has increased to about $43,000 a year for a family of four, but 57% of households earn $50,000 or less annually,” she notes. The cost of renting is also a significant burden, with 80% of rental units exceeding $500 a month and nearly half-priced between $1,000 and $1,400. This creates a challenging affordability gap for many residents. The city is revising its zoning and code enforcement to address these issues to allow for more affordable housing options. “We’re working on an overlay zone that permits smaller lot sizes in designated areas,” Hartman explains. This change would enable the construction of smaller units, such as duplexes or nonprofit, funded partly by donations and partly by volunteers, renovates these houses from top to bottom. “They become beautiful homes in old neighborhoods, bringing the entire street back to life,” she adds. The city plays a crucial role in these projects by waiving building fees and obtaining all necessary permits and reviews. Once renovated, the homes are sold at 20% belowmarket value to essential workers, including city and county employees, firefighters, police officers, teachers, and hospital staff.“If you live in Bisbee, you should be able to afford a beautiful home in Bisbee,” Hartman states. In addition to these renovation projects, Bisbee runs a homeowner repair program funded by federal grants. “We do up to $15,000 in repairs on older homes in designated colonias neighborhoods,” Hartman notes. This program has already seen significant success, with about 45 home renovations completed or underway. Photo Credit: Gerald Lamb 67 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07 BISBEE, AZ
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx