Poverty with a View

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April 29th: Raising Flagstaff's Wages
The gap between wages and housing costs in Flagstaff is the largest of any city in the state. We hear about the factors that drive down wages, and what city leaders are doing about it.
Listen: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

May 1st: Creating Affordable Housing in Flagstaff
We hear what the challenges the city faces in trying to build more affordable homes, what the city, private developers and others are doing, and what lessons can be learned from other western mountain towns.
Listen: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

May 5th: Where do we go from here?
In this Poverty With a View wrapup program, we consider Flagstaff's future. What kind of town should it become, and what kind of steps can we take now to get us there? We'll also hear about other regions that are experiencing similar challenges.
Listen: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

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Day 6

Real Poverty in Flagstaff
The extreme poor have it especially tough in a place with such a high cost
of living. Many families come from the Navajo reservation because
opportunities and support there are limited. Flagstaff has better services
than some other reservation border towns, but it's not easy for families to
stay and make a living. Listen.

NAU Housing
Northern Arizona University is the city's largest employer and it loses
professors every year because they can't afford the price of a home. NAU's
salaries lag behind Arizona's other state universities, even though the cost
of living is much higher. NAU has a plan to build affordable housing for its
employees. It's a plan other universities, particularly in California, have
tried with some success. Listen.

Days 4 and 5

River Runners
Flagstaff is the hub for many Grand Canyon river rafting companies. River guiding is seasonal work, and many river runners have to scrape by to make ends meet. KNAU's Gillian Ferris Kohl visits Flagstaff's river running community and learns how they make a living on - and off - the Colorado. Listen.

Scott and Emily Perry

Second Homeowners
Flagstaff is bordering resort town status. Sixteen percent of its housing
stock is now owned by second homeowners, mostly from the Phoenix area. Many
Flagstaff residents blame these owners for the high housing costs, but city
officials say the lack of available land is even more to blame. KNAU's Laurel Morales reports. Listen.

Affordable Housing
The high cost of living in Flagstaff is often blamed on the high cost of
housing. Home prices recently doubled over a six year period. The city is
short of housing to meet the needs of the workforce. Many new units are are
in the pipeline but they will fulfill less than a third of the current need. KNAU's Theresa Bierer reports. Listen.

Day 3

Winslow: Flagstaff Bedroom Community?
Flagstaff is just beginning to experiece an outmigration of its population. Other high-cost mountain towns have experienced this for years. Some Flagstaff residents are now moving to places like Winslow, an hour away, where housing is still affordable. But it may not be for long. KNAU's Daniel Kraker explores the possibility of Winslow as a Flagstaff bedroom community. Listen.

Prescott: The Company that got Away
The cost of living is high in Prescott, but not nearly as high as in Flagstaff. Both towns compete to attract companies that will bring good-paying jobs. KNAU's Mark Herz tells the story of one company that chose Prescott over Flagstaff, and why. Listen.

Jonathan Weber: Moving to Missoula, Montana
Sometimes the way to get the job you want in the community you want is to create it yourself. That's what commentator Jonathan Weber did. He wanted to live and work in Missoula, Montana. Now he's able to do that, and so are his employees. Listen.

Day 2

Economic Development
There's a push by city officials to bring higher wage jobs, including manufacturing and high-tech "clean" businesses. The city just broke ground for a business that will help start-up companies get going. How will these efforts help raise the wage scale and help close the affordability gap? KNAU's Mark Herz reports. Listen.

Thybony visits Citizen's Cemetary
Commentator Scott Thybony visits old Citizen's Cemetery in Flagstaff, where many of the town's pioneers are buried. A number of their headstones face north, toward the San Francisco Peaks, rather than the traditional east. Listen.

Day 1

Shrinking Middle Class
The huge disparity between the average household income in Flagstaff and the median price of a home has made life a struggle for many middle class families, even for households with some of the higher-paying jobs in Flagstaff - in government, the university, and biotech. Arizona Public Radio's Theresa Bierer reports. Listen.

The Perfect Low-Wage Machine
It may be getting more difficult for middle class families here, but Flagstaff is still a highly sought after place to live. Many people who move here, though, underestimate how difficult it can be to find a good-paying job. Arizona Public Radio's Geoff Norcross reports on Flagstaff's historically low wages, which haven't kept pace with the skyrocketing cost of living. Listen.

Poverty with a View is funded in part by the City of Flagstaff through the Bed, Board and Beverage taxpayer initiative, in partnership with Flagstaff Cultural Partners. KNAU also received funding from National Public Radio's Local News Initiative.

KNAU Arizona Public Radio ♦ Box 5764 ♦ Flagstaff, AZ ♦ 86011 ♦ (928) 523-5628 ♦ (800) 523-5628