Work begins on 160 affordable housing units in Camp Verde

CAMP VERDE, AZ (AZFamily) — Camp Verde, about 78 miles north of Phoenix, is known for its history, wineries and, of course, the river, but it also has a higher-than-average cost of living.

According to Payscale , the cost of living in Camp Verde is 18% higher than the national average, making it hard for local tourism workers to afford to live there.

But thanks to a new affordable housing development, that could soon change.

"Our folks, our kids are moving away because it's increasingly difficult to find and affordable place to live or just any place to live," Camp Verde Mayor Dee Jenkins said.

Jenkins said they have a booming tourism industry in the heart of Arizona. But with it comes a lack of affordable housing and housing in general.

"We know we're going to grow but we have to do it right," Jenkins said. "We have to do it smart and we have to do it in line with the people that already live here."

Jenkins and other local leaders, including Gov. Katie Hobbs, broke ground on Wednesday on the Sycamore Vista Apartments, a new affordable housing community.

"Affordable housing is about economic development and ensuring that the workforce here has the opportunity to live and work," Hobbs said. "So this is a really critical project."

Developer Atlantic Development & Investments, Inc. will build 160 affordable townhomes, along with 178 other units for standard rent. The affordable housing units will be built in two 80-unit phases.

Each phase received $2 million of federal and $1 million of state low-income housing tax credits, which were contributed annually.

Gov. Hobbs, who has prioritized affordable housing across the state, said she wants to make sure every town, including those in rural northern Arizona, has the housing they need.

"Communities like Camp Verde, which are the center of everything where a lot of tourists come to enjoy the amenities," she said. "We want to make sure they're not getting left behind."

The development will also protect the Verde River, provide park access, and have a Head Start program for children .

"For me it checks all of the boxes for growth in the town of Camp Verde," Jenkins said.

Jenkins also said the first phase of construction should be done by late 2025 and says she can't wait to see local families accessing affordable housing.