Every day, Arizona families face impossible choices: parents skipping meals to afford rent, seniors rationing medication, and workers enduring hours-long commutes just to keep a roof overhead. The numbers don’t lie — home prices have surged 57% since 2019, while half of all renters spend over 30% of their income on housing. If we continue at this pace, Maricopa County won’t close its housing deficit for 85 years. And the clock continues to tick.

Behind every statistic are real people. Seniors languish on waitlists for affordable housing while rents soar. Frontline workers — teachers, nurses, grocery clerks — are priced out of the communities they serve. These aren’t “challenges” — they’re a call for leadership. And they demand solutions without delay.

ADOH: Arizona’s housing lifeline.

The Arizona Department of Housing is not a political bargaining chip — it’s an integral partner in the strategy to build more affordable housing. Last year, ADOH delivered over $1.24 billion in critical aid, financing thousands of affordable units and stabilizing Arizonans statewide. Yes, a recent audit revealed areas for improvement, and the agency has responded with actions to improve their processes and develop greater transparency. Lawmakers cite a 2023 ADOH wire hack where $2M was remitted erroneously (0.2% of annual funds) but omit insurance reimbursement, no state loss and new policies implemented. Threatening ADOH’s long-term continuity with temporary renewals isn’t fiscal prudence in response to critical audit findings — it’s sabotage. Families need stability.

LIHTC: A proven tool we must strengthen.

The federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) has been a cornerstone of affordable housing for decades. Yet Arizona’s explosive growth has overwhelmed static funding: only 8.5% of new units qualify as affordable. Enter Arizona’s state LIHTC program, launched in 2021 by Governor Ducey. Every dollar in state credits leverages four dollars in private and federal investment — fueling $745 million in economic activity, creating 4,500 jobs, and generating $8 million in annual tax revenue (Elliot Pollack study commissioned by the Arizona Housing Coalition). But with a cap frozen at $4 million, the program is not funded adequately to meet the demand, and the looming expiration date of December 2025 requires legislative action to extend and expand this vital foundation of long-term affordable housing.

Rural revitalization in action.

This isn’t abstract policy; it’s transformation in motion. In Globe, the historic Hill Street School — a 1920s landmark — is being reborn as 64 affordable senior housing units, thanks to $1.5 million in federal credits and a $1 million state tax credit. Inspections are complete, and keys will soon be in residents’ hands. In Prescott Valley, the View Point II Senior Community will deliver 72 affordable homes for low-income seniors, addressing a dire rural shortage. These communities would not have been possible without the infusion of capital offered by the state LIHTC program.

This is Arizona’s defining moment.

Lawmakers face a choice: invest in Arizona’s future or let short-term politics deepen the housing crisis. A one-year ADOH renewal and eliminating state LIHTC funding would be a failure of leadership at a time when affordable housing is desperately needed. Housing instability weakens schools, stifles economic growth, and threatens the wellbeing of seniors, working families and communities across the state.

The solutions are in place. ADOH delivers results. LIHTC fuels stability and economic growth. What’s missing? The courage to act.

Half-measures won’t solve this crisis. Lawmakers must commit to a four-year ADOH renewal to ensure long-term planning and strategic investment. Expanding LIHTC will unlock housing, create jobs and strengthen communities statewide.

The cost of inaction is too high — fewer homes, a weaker economy and rising homelessness. The reward for courage? Stability, opportunity and a thriving Arizona. Arizona’s families can’t wait another 85 years. They can’t wait 85 days. Lawmakers: Do what’s right. Renew ADOH. Expand LIHTC. Choose the future over politics.

Nicole Newhouse is the Executive Director of the Arizona Housing Coalition.