Phoenix Is Making Real Progress on Housing, But We Must Keep Going

Phoenix has been addressing our housing challenges head on. By December 2025, the City reached its Housing Phoenix Plan goal of creating or preserving 50,000 housing units, five years ahead of schedule. That achievement demonstrates what is possible when we make housing a priority. But with rising costs and too many families still struggling to stay housed, our work is far from finished.

The recently adopted Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget reflects that commitment. It includes $2.5 million to launch a Master Leasing pilot program, an initiative I have championed to help residents who have been locked out of the private rental market because of an eviction record, poor credit, or insufficient income.

Master leasing allows the City to lease apartments directly from landlords and sublease them to individuals exiting homelessness while providing supportive services. Beginning with at least 50 units, the program will help people regain stability while easing pressure on our emergency shelter system, which has added more than 1,600 beds since 2022. The pilot will pair single adults and couples with supportive services, with the goal of self-sufficiency within one to two years.

Recognizing the uncertainty many families face as federal safety-net programs change, the budget also included flexible funding for emergency financial assistance efforts. Residents urged us to do more, and I worked to increase the proposed investment from $1.5 million to $3.15 million. Those dollars will help families remain housed by assisting with rent, utilities, food, and other basic necessities before a temporary crisis becomes homelessness. As a City, we are investing surplus money back into the people who need it most.

The budget also increased Phoenix’s Housing Trust Fund to $15 million, an important milestone that I have worked diligently towards since joining the Council. The Housing Trust Fund expands our ability to develop attainable housing, reduce displacement, and support working families.

These investments did not happen in isolation. During budget hearings, residents showed up, shared their stories, and demanded action. Organizations like Organized Power in Numbers (OPIN) is an example of a tenacious advocacy group in this space. Their members demonstrated the power of sustained civic engagement by learning the budget process and consistently advocating for housing solutions. That kind of sustained pressure helps shape budgets.

Still, significant challenges remain. Maricopa County recorded more than 84,000 eviction filings in 2025, the third consecutive year exceeding 80,000. When an eviction notice is served, it is usually overwhelming for the tenant, and they usually have just days to respond. Most landlord have attorneys in eviction cases, while most tenants do not.

As an attorney, I understand how much legal representation matters and the imbalance of power created when only one side is represented. That is why I championed Phoenix’s investment in an eviction legal services pilot, which has already helped many families achieve positive outcomes through dismissals or negotiated settlements. Building on that success, I recently joined the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to launch an eviction diversion pilot targeting Phoenix ZIP codes with the highest eviction rates. Preventive measures are more humane, more successful, and more cost-effective that after-the-fact intervention.

Addressing housing requires partnership. That is why I committed $10,000 from my Council office budget to support a rapid rehousing program with St. Vincent de Paul serving District 8 residents. I hope businesses, philanthropic organizations, and community partners will join me in this effort.

When I took office in 2023, I said that helping families find safe, affordable housing was one of our greatest responsibilities. I believe that today just as strongly as I did then.

Phoenix has made meaningful progress. Investing in housing works. Preventing eviction works. Supporting families before they fall into crisis works. But one successful budget does not solve a housing crisis. We must continue building on this momentum until every Phoenix resident has a fair opportunity to find, and keep, a place to call home.

-Kesha Hodge Washington, Esq., Phoenix Vice Mayor