At the Arizona Department of Housing we continue working to keep the State’s housing and community development programs and projects available throughout this unusual time. We continue to work to address urgent COVID-19 related housing and homeless issues as well.

The Department currently has the following programs available to assist with COVID-related issues:

• Assistance for Renters to avoid evictions. Assistance is available to eligible renters who are unable to cover their rent due to a loss of income that was directly or indirectly caused by the pandemic. The Department has partnered with local Community Action Agencies to deliver this assistance.

• Assistance for Homeowners to avoid foreclosures. Assistance is available to eligible homeowners who are unable to cover their mortgage due to a loss of income.

• Assistance to Homeless Service Providers who are working to meet the challenging physical distancing and sanitary conditions required to avoid spread of the virus in the homeless community. Nearly $3 million in grants have been distributed to providers statewide. This summer the Department, in partnership with the Arizona Department of Administration, will be making additional deliveries of in-kind supplies for shelters and other homeless service providers available, as a follow up to assistance that was delivered at the beginning of the pandemic efforts. Over $2 million has been set aside for this assistance.

Beginning in July 2020, some local communities, especially those in the urban areas of the state, will be making Federal CARES Act funding available for rent and mortgage assistance programs. The Department’s statewide rental assistance program will continue at the same time, although in some areas of the state, applicants to the State’s program may be offered assistance through the federal resources and/or State resources, if the assigned Community Action Agency is administering multiple sources. The Department has compiled and published a list of all known Rental and Mortgage Relief Programs that are being offered around the State, which is available on our website. It is anticipated that new programs will become available throughout the summer months, and the Department’s website will be updated frequently.

The Department continues to work with the Governor’s Office, other state agencies, city and county government, and nonprofit partners to continue to identify resources and ways to help address housing and related needs during the pandemic. In July, the Governor issued Executive Order 2020-49 (link is external), which Continued Postponement of Eviction Enforcement Actions which began March 27, 2020 through October 31, 2020.

Manufactured home installation permits and inspections are continuing so that Arizonans waiting to move into those homes do not experience delays. The Department has continued to inspect manufactured homes being built by Arizona’s four manufactured homes producers in the state throughout the pandemic to help keep production lines moving.

In June, the Department announced that it would be providing equity financing through the 2020 Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program to 13 projects consisting of 1,022 newly constructed units. The 2020 competitive round resulted in almost 11% more units, capable of serving 184 more people than the 2019 round. Projects will be located in Avondale, Glendale, Phoenix, Tucson, Pascua Yaqui Tribal land, Sierra Vista, Flagstaff, and San Luis.

Applications for the financing of rental housing are being processed as usual. The Department continues to prepare for finance closings so that approved projects can move forward into production. Construction on thousands of affordable rental units continues to move forward at this time. The Arizona Department of Housing is currently committed to or actively involved in financing 5,242 affordable rental units, in various stages of production: 2,761 units in pre-development, 2,481 currently under construction or renovation and an additional 683 units with a request for funding presently under review. Of the 2,481 in production, 443 units are expected to receive Certificates of Occupancy in the next quarter and be ready to receive new renters.

The Department continues to process applications for community development block grants and owner-occupied housing rehabilitation programs according to published schedules. Community development and housing weatherization and rehabilitation programs continue to proceed all around the state.

If you or anyone you know in Arizona has housing-related concerns during these difficult times, the Department remains available, as always, to provide information on available resources by calling 602-771-1000.

Housing Matters | Summer 2020