April is Fair Housing Month—a time to reflect on progress, but also to take a hard look at where we still fall short.
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 ensured that people cannot be discriminated against when buying, renting, or financing a home. It created access.
But today, we’re facing a different challenge:
👉 What good is access if there’s nothing to access?
In communities like Flagstaff, the conversation around fair housing has evolved.
Affordable housing is part of fair housing.
And right now—we don’t have enough of it.
Enter the “Missing Middle”
To address housing shortages across Arizona, the state passed House Bill 2721, requiring cities like Flagstaff to allow what’s called “missing middle” housing.”
This includes:
- Duplexes
- Triplexes
- Fourplexes
- Townhomes
These housing types sit between single-family homes and large apartment complexes—offering more attainable options while maintaining neighborhood scale.
Originally, the law targeted areas near downtown. But the City of Flagstaff took it a step further—adopting a Middle Housing Ordinance that expands these housing options citywide.
Opportunity Meets Reality
On paper, this is a big step forward:
- it doesn’t guarantee affordability without continued effort and leadership.
Why This Matters for Fair Housing
Fair housing is about more than preventing discrimination—
It’s about creating real opportunities for people to live, work, and build wealth in their communities.
If teachers, nurses, first responders, and young professionals can’t afford to live here…
we haven’t solved the problem.
That’s why policies like this matter.
And it’s why we must continue pushing for:
- Streamlined development processes
- Incentives for attainable housing
- Thoughtful planning that balances growth with community character
A Local Perspective
As a third-generation real estate broker and a longtime Flagstaff local, I see both sides of this every day.
We all want to preserve what makes Flagstaff special. But we also need to make sure it remains livable and accessible for the people who make this community what it is.
The “missing middle” conversation is just the beginning.
Moving Forward
Fair Housing Month is a reminder of how far we’ve come—but also how much work is left to do.
Because at the end of the day:
Fair housing means everyone deserves not just equal access—but a real opportunity to call Flagstaff home.
