Sedona, AZ — I support “Safe Place To Park” and commend the city staff and council for this forward-thinking social program.
Sedona is a beautiful city but is not a real community because of the imbalance in housing caused by the state of Arizona SB-1350’s ban on local control of STRs and the loss of affordable housing.
We should all support Sedona’s effort to start a pilot plan to help with worker housing, even if that housing is a car or van.
There will likely be a learning curve, but the city staff can manage and make the necessary changes as the project progresses.
Sedona is one of the most expensive places to live in America. Very few people can afford to rent or purchase a home. This program will be a short-term stopgap for local workers until they can settle into more permanent housing.
Just because people work hourly jobs, and in some cases many “Gigs,” they are citizens of Sedona and should be treated as such. Property ownership instills no special privileges, and we should remember we all struggled at some point.
A real community comprises people of all ages and various social backgrounds. Some people are just starting their careers, and others are ending theirs. Let’s not be judgmental, but instead, let’s lend a helping hand. Living in Sedona is not an earned privilege.
By : Steve Segner
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12 Comments
I also support a safe place to park, and it is unfortunate what we have come to this, but over time it will improve. But you do not spend 23 million dollars buy buying something as the old council walks out the door ignoring the will of the people who just voted three new members in. That’ unconscionable.
4 of our sitting members including the mayor pulled this travesty off.
We have a fenced acre that the city bought on Shelby for $1.5 million, close to water sewer and power, and it is safe and secure. Not necessary to spend $100s of thousands of dollars to achieve this test program. If there is an apartment start there, it would be nice to have some details.
We also own 225 acres 6 minutes down the road that we are not using. Something wrong with that? We know there is power down there already.
There are smart ways to take existing resources and try this program out. Spending $23 million, having a councilor stating “we had to buy it so we could figure out what to do with it” is not a very sane way to run a city, or any business.
It certainly is possible to have a trial program like this, and fine tune it. But putting it in the back yards of people shows a total lack of thought process for the people who voted the council members into office.
No. This is not a good decision. This is what happens when the City chooses to ignore adding density over the years. Fast track the apartments that are on the drawing board. Work with the developers to assist them in keeping construction costs down, make certain the inspections are done SAP, and encourage multi-family living.
IMHO the expenditures the City intends to spend to allow 40 people to park their “car homes” at the Cultural Park (bought by $20 Mil of Sedona tax money) is the wrong solution to a problem. This is not a personal attack on any of the present or past Council members, but our current situation is the result of past bad Council decisions where density is concerned.
If this does not pass, will the City fall apart. No. Work with the builders of apartments and get them moving on the fast track. A year from now we could have affordable apartments available if the City will just get moving.
Fast tracking apartments that will ultimately get rented for 3-4 K per month and will be out of reach of these people isn’t adding to increasing population density?
Once again, these are folks who work in Sedona cooking and serving our food, running our stores and even working in our medical clinics. So not wanting them to live in and amongst the rest of us is sheer ignorance and alienation of those who provide services to us. Shoving them into a dark corner like the slaves of early America will only create animosity and cause a we-they environment. Take care of them properly and give them a chance to be seen as equals (which they are except when it comes to home ownership) and you will have a much better workforce and product(s) in return.
Will there be some bad eggs? certainly but there are bad eggs in every single society on earth. But we have laws and law enforcement to enforce the adherence of the law in those instances. We do not need to treat grown assed adults like children nor should we treat them as criminals simply because they are without homes.
The current Major knows the value of these folks and wants to do something for them rather than just having Law Enforcement run them out of town regardless of employment or living status like our previous majors have since the problem arose to be what it has become today.
And bottom line here, we’re talking about the lives of our fellow citizens not members Iranian Republican Guard Corps!
Sure glad that during the depression our towns majors didn’t run all the homeless out of their towns and into obscurity while the wealthy lived high on the hog (like many of our multi facility/store owners here do) or many of us would not be here today!
Hello, I work in Sedona and live in my van. Currently my employer lets me park out in the back of the property I work with but if they did not allow this, I don’t know what I would do…Sedona is not friendly at all with overnight parking. I would love to volunteer, provide ideas or be involved with a solution to this problem or work part time to help in anyway possible if security is a need at any controlled parking area. Thank you for reading this comment and the other comments and realizing this is a problem in Sedona.
BH
I encourage you to reach out directly to Mayor Jablow. Your input should be appreciated by his office. I’m of the belief that anyone in your situation who is employed here should be a crucial part of any planning of any facility under consideration regarding quality of life and utility access.
Roy you are completely wrong and off by thousands. Its based on a 32 hour work week, in Sedona. Based on the latest data from HUD. They have posted some prices but the economy is changing so prices may shift some? Its an unknown. Last I heard was a one bedroom just under $1000 and a 2 bed, around $1100.
Reach out to Sheila Boone, she has all the information you need.
This town and people who think they have all the answers, but have never emailed or talked to the people in charge!
The City Council has voted to create another eyesore just like the trailer park on 89A. They think that by putting it in the expensive Cultural Park area they wasted money on, people will not see it and will not notice. There is a desperate need for affordable housing in Sedona, but this is a terrible solution. As Mike Schroeder points out, there are alternatives to the short-term fix, but the long-term fix should be the focus — not costly band aids. For far too long, the City Council and Administration have not done enough about the traffic and housing problems to the detriment of the entire community. They instead have chosen to do worthless, expensive and easy projects like shared sidewalks, and have not implemented needed primary solutions, despite keeping taxes high and having the money to take care of many problems. The Forest Road extension was bogged down for years because someone in the City Administration hadn’t figured out there were power lines there? Cmon! There needs to be a focus on the real problems – traffic and housing – and not sitting on their hands. Hopefully the new City Manager, unlike the past one, will take things seriously.
“The City Council has voted to create another eyesore just like the trailer park on 89A”
Think the trailer park was here long before anyone in this city council got ELECTED by the people. I’m guessing that that so called eye sore which houses a large portion of Sedona’s employees currently reside was initially a “white trash trailer park” masquerading as an over 50 low income community back in the late 60’s early 70’s?
You complain about an expensive yet years VACANT property is under consideration for use as a low income community safe zone while simultaneously complaining about “eyesores”?
Well brother, I’m certain the residents of said “eyesore” will appreciate your offering of a more slightly, same expense or less local alternative facility they could live in to meet your ocular satisfaction?
I beg your pardon, Karen, our current city manager did not sit on her hands she’s been very forceful in trying to move forward with construction of New workforce housing. Let’s remember she works at the direction of the city council.
Traffic will never be fixed, Sedona will grow and so will our traffic and with only two roads running through this town you can’t blame the city manager for traffic. People are going to have to learn to live with it or move by the way the overnight housing is an experiment and 80% of the cost or more is going to be born by the state and federal government, give it a chance and see how it works. Coming this summer micro transit will be started, this program was authorized by the City Council and is almost a year ahead of its projected start date all because Karen did all she could to move it forward the hiking trail shuttles have been a huge success give credit where credit is due.
Does the city have any idea how many people are living in their cars? Are they creating a problem that doesn’t actually exist? Spending a ton of cash on mere rumors?
The city parking lot on Jordan road is now designated for RV’s and trailers, losing more than 22 parking spots and I’ve never seen more than 2 or 3 RV’s. Created a solution for a problem that never existed.
Why not allow cars to park overnight at the shuttle parking lots? Problem solved, no additional expense and revitalize the cultural park as it once was, to bring more culture and solid revenue.
Ugh, so tired of watching the city spend millions on multi use paths that will rarely be used. This current project is a colossal waste of money and has already created a bigger traffic jam (over the holidays to boot), that will not be alleviated once it’s complete.
I’m against this proposal. There are too many issues and unanswered questions involved that must be addressed before it is voted on as planned by the City Council on 2/27. Yes, there is a dire need for affordable housing but that has been the case for decades. Each City Council since I’ve been here, 23 years, have blamed the previous one for not getting this accomplished. Even so, now is not the time to rush a proposal like this that could have severe and unforseen consequences. We, the public deserve much more detail than what was provided at the 2/6/24 P&Z meeting at City Hall. Too many people are not aware of this and should be. The City must find a better way to get information to the public. Too many people do not read the Red Rock News or get access to this site. This topic deserved it’s own meeting, it should not have been combined with another agenda item. Another very public meeting should be held before any vote is taken.
We need much more detail on the following questions:
1) Itemize monies budgeted for this porject, where the funds are coming from, how long will the funds last and where will funds come from if not sufficient for the 2 year term suggested?
2) The term of 2 years should be a definitive timeframe, not one that can be extended.
3) What are the hours of operation?
4) Post the eligibility requirements and the code of conduct. What does “ideally” mean in regard to pay statements being used for eligibility requirements?
5) Age, disability and retirement status cannot be discriminated against. Those people will have to show “verified connection to Sedona” – what will that be?
6) Grafitti on structures will be removed? This 6 acre area was supposed to be an existing parking area. What structures are there that need grafitti removal?
7) How exactly are you providing potable water? I thought I heard something about running tubes through the trees? Please provide details.
8) I’m sure I heard there were only spaces for 40 cars yet the numbers quoted indicate a food pantry survey of 39 and City outreach of 35, that equals 74. You haven’t accounted for the number of people in your survey. I’m sure many more people are out there who would take advantage of this if it gets built and others will come to the area because of it. It’s become a cliche but it’s true…”Build it and they will come”…
9) Liability. The City Attorney said, He “didn’t believe” this project would provide a liability but we live in a litigious society and would expect more substantial proof than a statement like that. It was cited at the meeting that San Luis Obispo had a lawsuit (2 year old case) in regard to homeless population. He “believes” that wouldn’t effect us since the site is not 24/7. However, the fact that the site is not 24/7 could be an issue for some who work other shifts and live in there cars.
10) Why aren’t the many business owners coming forward with housing solutions?
11) The City itself should not build or manage housing BUT the City could work with builders to offer incentives to build affordable housing. The City Manager and staff should work with builders to fast track all aspects of a build. The City Manager and staff should work with the legislators to work on addressing the Short Term rental situation to change current state law. There are many organizations around the state working on this that they can work with.
12) If this is a temporary site as has been stated, then why would it be placed in the Master Plan?
Voting on this should be delayed. We need answers to these questions/ issues.