The free event is one component in the development of the city’s Balanced Housing Strategy, which will be the guiding document that will state the right mix of price, size, tenures and types of housing needed to reasonably meet Sedona’s housing needs. The outreach process for the Balanced Housing Strategy has included prior stakeholder interviews and an initial open house, with the Think Tank designed to move into the brainstorming phase of this outreach effort in a collaborative, action-oriented event that identifies practical, community-shaped solutions.
On the first day, May 18, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Stefan Pellegrini, urban designer and principal at Opticos Design, will give a keynote presentation on “missing middle” housing options followed by facilitated discussions and interactive roundtable exercises on potential solutions that aim to align public officials, practitioners and community voices on a shared path forward.
On the second day, May 19, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon, attendees will determine priority solutions and dive deeper into specific actions, implementation strategies and next steps.
Why attend
Sedona faces increasing pressure to provide housing options for its workforce, families, seniors and future residents while preserving the character that makes the community unique. This Think Tank is an opportunity to:
- Build a shared understanding of Sedona’s housing challenges and opportunities
- Learn from national best practices and proven implementation strategies
- Collaborate directly with peers and experts to develop actionable solutions
- Help shape the next phase of Sedona’s Balanced Housing Strategy
RSVP required
With space limited at the event, participants must RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
Next steps
City staff will share information from the draft Balanced Housing Strategy with City Council on May 13, 2026 at their regularly scheduled meeting at 4:30 p.m.; followed by an open house public meeting on June 29, 2026 at The Hub to get community feedback on the proposed strategies; and last, take the final draft to City Council in late summer.
Learn more about Opticos Design at www.opticosdesign.com, missing middle housing at www.missingmiddlehousing.com and the city’s housing programming and initiatives at www.sedonaaz.gov/housing.
