Low wages, a housing shortage and more short-term rentals and vacation homes are limiting access to affordable housing, according to a study of six Arizona counties by Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy.
The study compiles research from Maricopa, Yuma, Cochise, Coconino, Yavapai and Pima counties, including discussions with residents.
Solutions lie in diversifying the housing stock, regulating short-term rentals and increasing rental assistance, according to Morrison Institute.
The institute found that across the state a common theme associated with housing insecurity is that low wages earned by many renters, especially people of color, limit their housing access.
For instance, according to the study, it would take a minimum wage earner in Coconino County's largest city, Flagstaff, a 90-hour work week to afford a one-bedroom apartment. The average renter wage in Coconino County is just over $18.
The burden of high rent makes it difficult for many renters to transition to homeownership.
People face a housing cost burden when they spend more than 30% of their household income on housing, including rental or mortgage costs. About one in three Arizona residents face this challenge, according to 2021 U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Homeowners can be cost-burdened but renters are more susceptible to allocating more than 30% of their household income to housing, according to the study.
In each of the six counties, more than 40% of renters are...
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