Key Points: 

• Housing interests heavily funded primary candidates across Arizona

• Builders backed allies, targeted opponents over housing legislation disputes

• Attorney general race drew litigation-linked housing industry spending

Housing interests were some of the biggest players in Arizona’s primary elections, spending heavily in statewide and legislative races as the industry hopes to shape affordability and development policies in the coming years. 

Homebuilders, apartment owners, real estate players and mobile home operators funneled money into candidates on both sides of the aisle. 

This comes on the heels of failed legislation that would have established a rural, low-income housing tax credit, hastened workforce housing projects and expanded tax-exempt bonds for housing developers.

The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona spent money to oppose a candidate who previously headed the League of Cities and Towns — a major opponent to the proposed Starter Homes Act — and supported lawmakers who had backed the bill in the past. 

Rental, development and mobile home companies either involved in or poised to take collateral damage from litigation by incumbent Attorney General Kris Mayes propped up Warren Petersen to take her place. 

According to early primary results, such spending proved fruitful for most – though not all — candidates. Another reason for politicians to take heed: Voters continue to identify affordable housing as one of their most important issues this election cycle.

Legislative spending

In legislative races, the Arizona Multihousing Association, the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona and the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association were particularly active in their spending. 

The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona spent nearly $25,000 to oppose Kevin Hartke, a Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives in District 13. 

Hartke, former Chandler mayor, served as president of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns Executive Committee from 2024 to 2026 and served as the vice president for two years prior. 

The conflict stems from a longtime legislative push to enact the Starter Homes Act, a measure that would strike large cities’ ability to require certain restrictions and regulations for new home construction and development. 

The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona backed the measure but met steadfast opposition from the League of Cities and Towns, ultimately leading to the bill’s demise in three consecutive legislative sessions. 

Beyond spending against a known opponent, the association supported the measure’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Shawnna Bolick, and Republican Rep. Laurin Hendrix with $3,000 expenditures. 

On the Democratic side, Lisbeth Arescurenaga also received $1,000 from the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, as did Sen. Analise Ortiz and Alberto Flores. 

The Arizona Multihousing Association, which has its own legislative wishlist, also poured money into legislative candidates.

Last session, the group pushed House Bill 2804, a measure that would establish a low-income housing tax credit program in rural counties, with $120 million over 10 years to support affordable housing. 

The bill passed the House 35-22 with mixed support, but stalled afterward. 

The group also lobbied in favor of Senate Bill 1401, which would speed the permitting process for workforce housing, and for House Bill 2999, which would allow developments to access tax-exempt bonds. 

The Arizona Multihousing Association spread out its donations to multiple lawmakers. 

The group spent $27,062 to support Republican Senate candidate Christopher King, $19,552 to support Bolick, $9,758 for Democrat Rep. Conseulo Hernandez, $8,914 to Janeen Connolly, $7,283 to support Democrat Rep. Alma Hernandez, $7,283 to Lupe Diaz, $7,283 to Sally Gonzales, $1,106 to David Cook and the same to his running mate Walt Blackman. 

Maritza Higuera, a Democrat running for the state House in LD21, received $9,758, and state Senate hopeful Deborah Nardozi got $8,914, but both candidates lost their primaries. 

The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona and the Arizona Multihousing Association did not respond to or declined to respond to requests for comment. 

Attorney General’s race 

Attorney General candidate and Senate President Warren Petersen received the most support from housing interests.

Friends of Warren Petersen raked in $617,421, primarily from the political action committee Restore Order Arizona. 

The PAC, chaired by Republican attorney and lobbyist Kurt Altman, mainly paid out independent expenditures through two national Republican media firms, Gen2 Solutions and Whistlestop Strategies. 

But over the past two quarters, Restore Order Arizona PAC took in $600,000 from BoaVida, a mobile home property management company under fire from the state for failing to provide functioning air conditioning. 

Mayes sued BoaVida for consumer fraud in August 2025 after recurring electrical outages left residents at Redwood Mobile Home Park in Tucson without air conditioning for four hours at peak temperature times. 

Litigation is still grinding on. And in May, Mayes moved for contempt sanctions against Redwood Mobile Homes and BoaVida for failing to complete repairs. 

Alongside BoaVida, a handful of mobile home parks and operators sent in tens of thousands of dollars in support of Mayes’ opponent. 

Petersen also saw support from property management and rental firms.

Mayes put major residential landlords and property managers in the crosshairs of legal action, too, with lawsuits against RealPage, a software company accused of rent-fixing, Greystar, the largest multi-family rental property manager, and a list of title companies sued for unlawfully stripping equity and titles from homeowners facing foreclosure. 

Restore Order Arizona PAC also spent big against Glassman with $620,091 in reported independent expenditures.  

After Petersen’s victory in the primary, the Mayes’ campaign immediately pointed out Petersen’s donations from “special interests and shady corporations.”