The cost of housing in Flagstaff is about 30% higher than the national average.
That issue was the main topic in a meeting Monday between city and White House officials.
White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez says a big part of the solution must be increased construction.
“We need to continue to build, build, build, here in Arizona and really across the country, we hear that consistently. And we want to make sure that we are building housing for people at every level of affordability,” Perez says.
The discussion came as Perez toured the state to learn how local communities spent federal COVID-19 funding.
In Flagstaff, nearly $2 million dollars went to help address housing affordability and homelessness.
Since the city declared a housing emergency in 2020, they’ve added more than 1,000 units and more than 100 affordable units.
Officials say the city has nearly 8,000 fewer homes than it should. The cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment in Flagstaff is up 51% since 2013.
Perez says all levels of government need to work to address the issue.
