Buckeye reviews draft housing action plan as officials seek council priorities

City of Buckeye officials presented a draft Housing Action Plan at the Sept. 16 council workshop and asked the council to identify policy priorities and implementation tools before staff returns with a final document for adoption.

The plan, presented by Andrea Marquez, senior planner in Development Services, and Laney Corey, a planner with Matrix Design Group, is grant-funded and required by the state, Marquez said. "This plan is required by the state and supports city council strategic goals as well," Marquez told the council as she introduced the draft.

The consultants described the plan as having three phases: a quantitative housing needs assessment, a community engagement phase and the housing action plan that will recommend policy and implementation tools. The needs assessment delivered several headline findings, including a current shortage of housing units and a projected increase in that shortage if current trends continue. Staff said the assessment identified a shortage of 2,840 units today and projected that figure could grow to 11,730 units by 2029.

Why it matters: Council members and staff said the plan is intended not to impose immediate regulatory changes but to give the city a toolbox of policies, incentives and partnerships to address shortages, diversify housing types, and support workforce and senior housing as Buckeye grows rapidly.

Key details and findings

- Outreach and survey: The project team reported 617 survey responses and two community meetings (May 12 at City Hall East at The Landing and May 28 at the senior center). The team said 50% of survey respondents were Buckeye residents for more than 10 years and that participation skewed toward older residents. The presentation stated that 38% of responding households reported annual incomes under $30,000 and that 23% said they had to limit food, medicine or other essentials to cover housing costs. The materials also said 77% of respondents prioritized senior living as a housing priority and that 34% wanted more apartments while 32% preferred traditional single-family homes.

- Demographic context: The consultants said Buckeye remains one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation and has a very high homeownership rate (the presentation cited over 85% as of 2022) with a housing stock that is predominantly detached single-family homes built in the last 10–20 years. The team said that creates fewer options for residents who need or prefer other housing types, including a gap in middle-market senior housing between subsidized public options and higher-cost private care.

- Policy direction and examples: The draft recommends considering strategies such as density bonuses tied to Planned Area Developments (PADs), accessory dwelling unit (ADU) program standardization, down payment assistance programs, development incentives (including expedited reviews and fee waivers), and investment in human services to support residents aging in place. The consultants emphasized the plan will not "create any sort of regulatory changes" by itself and that adoption would be followed by implementation work.

Council feedback and next steps

Council members asked for more of the underlying data that drove the recommendations. Councilman Goode said he "was kinda hoping this workshop would've kinda got into the data a little bit more" and asked about major "ahas" in the demographic analysis. The presenters pointed to the senior housing gap and the projected unit shortages as primary drivers.

Council discussion touched on the role the city should play versus the private market. Some members emphasized that housing is tightly connected to economic development — employers consider local housing availability when deciding to locate here — while others cautioned against overstepping the private market without clearer evidence of the types of market failures the city should address.

Staff direction recorded in the presentation: staff will continue collecting public and stakeholder comments, will meet with the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Main Street Coalition for further input, and will return to council with a final draft for formal adoption. No formal motion or vote took place at the workshop.

Community relevance and constraints

The presenters identified funding sources and partners already in play, including a grant from MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments) that funded the planning work and references to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement processes. The consultants said Buckeye is "in compliance with all recent housing state legislation" and is coordinating this plan to align with those requirements. The presentation also noted non-city funding and partnership opportunities (for example, Arizona Community Foundation grants) to support entitlements or upfront costs for developers pursuing affordable projects.

Ending

Staff asked council to identify priorities the city should pursue in the implementation plan and to flag items they would like to see advanced. The project team said the final draft will be brought back to council for adoption after additional public meetings and Planning and Zoning Commission review, with the aim of placing the adoption item on a future council agenda.

Speakers quoted or cited in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript and staff presentations; direct quotes appear verbatim as spoken at the workshop.