City Homebuyer Assistance Program opening doors to first-time homebuyers
Flagstaff residents have much to appreciate about this special place. We work hard to make our community stronger and more prosperous—each one of us plays an important role. This is why I place such importance on creating opportunities for residents who have invested their lives in our community. Whatever your profession, you help make Flagstaff healthier, safer, smarter, and more beautiful.
Of course one thing we all have in common is that we all need places to live. Regardless of our stage in life or place in the community, we need a safe place to call home. For too many of us, keeping a roof over our heads is a source of stress. When we’re forced to choose between a doctor’s visit and rent or a second job and volunteering at our child’s school, the entire community is affected.
We recognize the importance of housing. From emergency shelter to housing that’s affordable to residents of varying incomes, a smart community invests in housing as the necessary infrastructure that it is. That’s why in 2022, Flagstaff voters passed a $20 million bond directed at four areas of rental and owner-occupied housing.
This funding—plus years of hard work by city housing staff and several local housing organizations—have resulted in approximately 30% of housing built in the past two years being affordable to households earning 80 percent or less of Area Median Income (AMI). Whether through affordable housing incentives offered by the city, negotiations with developers, or housing tax credits, this is a success worthy of celebrating.
Recently, $5 million of bond funds were released to phase one of the Community Homebuyer Assistance Program (CHAP) administered by Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona. CHAP provides up to $50,000 in matching loan funds to households without sufficient cash to purchase a home. For more information, call Housing Solutions at 928-214-7456.
A few of the eligibility requirements include:
- Must be a first-time Flagstaff homebuyer
- At least one household member has lived or worked in the Flagstaff Metropolitan Area for at least 12 consecutive months prior to purchase
- Home must be located within the Flagstaff city limits
- Total household income must not exceed 150% of the AMI
The city has funded this revolving loan program, but at a lower loan amount and household AMI for some time, serving approximately 500 households. I’m eager for even more of our neighbors to have the opportunity to purchase a home and stay invested in our community.
The two remaining parts of the housing bond funding are about to be put into action. One is the redevelopment of Flagstaff’s public housing, and the other is funding for adaptive reuse—redeveloping existing buildings into housing.
The city council will be discussing various aspects of housing at upcoming meetings. As always, you can stay up to date on which topics will be on our agendas by checking the working calendar on the city’s website or signing up for notifications when agendas are posted. This article appears in the September 2025 edition of the Flagstaff Business News.
