Congressman Robert Garcia Seeks Transparency from the Department of Defense on their Decision to Oppose Arizona Housing Bill
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Robert Garcia wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, seeking information regarding the Department of Defense’s decision to oppose the bipartisan Arizona HB 2570, the Arizona Starter Homes Act. The letter can be found here.
“As we strive to tackle our nation's affordable housing crisis, it's crucial that we don’t allow special interests to kill new housing and greater density. My request for information from the Department of Defense seeks to understand how the Department balances its need to safeguard the interests of our military installations and the communities that surround them, while complying with the Biden’s Administration goal for increasing affordable housing and eliminating barriers to housing construction. We need to ensure such decisions are informed, equitable, and above all, conducive to the well-being of both our servicemembers and the American families in need of affordable homes.” said Congressman Garcia.
In the letter, Congressman Garcia highlights the importance of balancing the need for affordable housing with the protection of military installations and surrounding communities.
The Arizona housing bill aimed to increase housing density in urban areas to address the critical shortage of affordable housing. The Department of Defense cited concerns about accident risk and noise impacts as reasons for opposing the bill. However, Congressman Garcia has requested information from the Department on their decision-making process, including criteria for determining harmful encroachment and consultations with state and local officials.
Congressman Garcia, the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, is committed to ensuring the well-being of our service members and supporting efforts to increase affordable housing. In May 2023, he introduced the People Over Parking Act which would eliminate outdated parking minimum requirements for new affordable residential, retail, industrial or commercial construction. Congressman Garcia also believes that housing is a human right, and we must redouble efforts to assist residents who are housing insecure. This is a long-term, structural problem and it requires us to take bold steps to create the new homes our community needs—especially along our transit corridors and job centers.
###