Affordable housing is important to many people in Tempe. The City is considering a new voluntary program that would provide long-term affordable housing by allowing more homes to be built in multi-family, commercial and industrial areas already designated for growth.

Arizona Revised Statues Section 9-461.16 restricts cities from requiring, conditioning or imposing on private development to provide affordable housing. This section, however, does allow cities to adopt voluntary incentive programs to increase the supply of affordable housing. Several cities in Arizona have adopted their own versions of a bonus program to achieve these guaranteed affordable units.

Tempe is asking residents to weigh in as the City explores this proposed approach. Community feedback will help guide next steps.

View the draft Affordable Housing Development Bonus Program here.

View a map of properties in Tempe that would be eligible for the Affordable Housing Development Bonus Program here.

View the Jan. 6, 2026 virtual meeting here.

View the Jan. 6, 2026 Presentation Slides here.

Let us know your thoughts by emailing planning@tempe.gov.

Key Points

Below are the proposed aspects of this Affordable Housing Development Bonus Program:

• In return for designating a percentage of dwelling units for households within a certain income range, new developments receive a bonus in density, building height, and reductions in required parking.
• The program functions as an opt-in Overlay Zoning district, which would be added through a staff-level process once proper documentation is received to confirm the project’s guarantee on the affordable housing.
• The bonus in residential density is derived from, and limited to, the Projected Residential Density for that property as shown in the voter-approved Tempe Tomorrow - General Plan 2050.
• This program would be voluntary, with eligible sites being those with multi-family, commercial, or industrial zoning. The program would not be available to sites zoned for single-family.
• The affordability of the units would be guaranteed for 30 years, through a deed restriction which would be recorded onto the property.
• Depending on which range of affordability the units will be (i.e. 80%, 65% or 50% of the Area Median Income) the amount of units required to be affordable in development varies, with developers choosing which level of affordable housing they will offer in the development.
• Establish a new R-6, multi-family zoning district. Creating the R-6 district does not change zoning anywhere in Tempe. Instead, it establishes a new option in the City’s zoning code that could be requested through a separate rezoning process in the future. If adopted, projects in the R-6 district would be eligible to participate in the bonus program.

Past Public Input Opportunities

January 6, 2026 Public meeting via Zoom at 12 p.m.

January 6, 2026 Public meeting at the Tempe Public Library, Desert Willow Room, 3500 S. Rural Rd. at 6 p.m.

January 7, 2026 Presentation at the Neighborhood Advisory Commission at the Tempe Transportation Center, Don Cassano Room, 200 E. 5th St. at 6 p.m.

January 12, 2026 Presentation at the Sustainability and Resilience Commission virtually via Teams.

January 20, 2026 Presentation at the Transportation Commission at the Tempe Transportation Center, Don Cassano Room, 200 E. 5th St. at 7:30 a.m.

January 27, 2026 Study Session at the Development Review Commission at the City Council Chambers, 31 E. 5th St. at 5:30 p.m.

February 11, 2026 Presentation at the Historic Preservation Commission at the City Council Chambers, 31 E. 5th St. at 6 p.m. 

Upcoming Public Input Opportunities

To be announced!

 Transportation Overlay District Amendments - Adopted June 25, 2026

Modifications to Part 5, Chapter 6 - Transportation Overlay District of the Zoning and Development Code. 

View the adopted Ordinance here.

Sign Code Amendments - Adopted June 4, 2026

Modifications to Part 4, Chapter 9 -Signs of the Zoning and Development Code.

View the adopted Ordinance here.

Various Zoning and Development Code Amendments - Adopted June 4, 2026

Modifications to Parts 3, 4, 6 and 7 of the Zoning and Development Code including clarification of ambiguous or unclear language and modifications to lighting and parking dimensions standards .

View the adopted Ordinance here.

Construction Code - Adopted June 4, 2026 

Tempe updated the construction codes that guide how homes and buildings are built in our community to align with national standards and reflect improvements in safety and construction practices. Tempe last updated its codes in 2018. 

View the adopted 2024 constructions codes on Building Safety's webpage here.

Nuisance Ordinance - Adopted May 14, 2026

In November 2024, Arizona voters approved Proposition 312 which can impose an obligation upon cities and towns to address public nuisances even when occurring on private property. Proposition 312 allows property owners to apply for a refund of property taxes paid to the City if it is determined that the City’s efforts to mitigate a nuisance are insufficient.

To provide clarity and enforcement parameters, the City Attorney's Office proposed a codification of what is already recognized by the courts as a private property use that can create a public nuisance. This will be limited to those uses where these three conditions are occurring: 1) regularly occurring distribution of food, beverages, or merchandise, etc.; 2) that leads to criminal activities or similar public offenses in the neighboring area; and 3) that substantially interferes with the use and enjoyment of the neighboring properties 

View Tempe's Adopted Nuisance Ordinance Here

Photovoltaic (Solar) Code Updates - Adopted December 11, 2025 (Effective January 10, 2026)

Modifications to Part 4 - Development Standards and Part 7- Definitions related to the use and design of photovoltaic solar panels.

View the adopted Ordinance here.

Middle Housing Overlay - Adopted November 6, 2025 (Effective January 1, 2026)

Arizona State Legislature adopted the "Middle Housing Bill" (HB2721) to assist in increasing housing supply and decreasing costs.

To comply with State Law, the Tempe City Council adopted the Middle Housing Overlay District as an amendment to the Tempe Zoning and Development Code. This Overlay Zoning District allow duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and townhouses on single-family lots within one mile of its Central Business District (downtown) and on residential lots of greater than ten acres.

View Tempe's Adopted Middle Housing Ordinance Here

Municipality Administrative Review - Adopted November 6, 2025 (Effective December 31, 2025)

Arizona State Legislature adopted the "Municipality Administrative Review" intended to expedite permitting and review of development projects. 

To comply with State law, the Tempe City Council adopted an amendment to the Tempe Zoning and Development Code creating an administrative review and decision making process for all site plans, development plans including design review decisions, and all types of subdivision plats without the requirement for conducting a public hearing. 

View Tempe's Adopted Zoning and Development Code Ordinance Amendment Here

View Tempe's Adopted City Code Ordinance Amendment Here

Adaptive Reuse or Redevelopment for Multi-Family Residential - Adopted December 19, 2024 (Effective January 19, 2025)

Arizona State Legislature adopted the "Adaptive Reuse Bill" (HB2297) to help increase the supply of housing units by providing opportunities to convert or adapt eligible obsolete commercial, office, and mixed-use buildings to multi-family development.

To comply with State law, the Tempe City Council adopted an amendment to the Tempe Zoning and Development Code to create an application and review process for the Adaptive Reuse or Redevelopment for Multi-Family Residential.

View Tempe's Adopted Adaptive Reuse Ordinance Here