Tempe hoping tiny homes help solve city’s affordable housing issue

PHOENIX — Business leaders, students and Tempe have combined forces to help to solve what one Tempe councilmember branded an affordable housing crisis.

Students at Arizona State University and the Newtown Community Development Corporation hope to break ground within a year’s time on a project they call Humble Homes.

“The Humble Homes project, it was devised and created by a group of engineering students at ASU,” said Tempe City Councilwoman Lauren Kuby said. “They came up with this idea for a model infield development — affordable housing development — in Tempe.”

The living community would be located near Apache Boulevard and Rural Road.

The project would build a cluster of 600-square-foot micro homes that would consist of one bedroom, a kitchen and a living space.

Dubbed the Tempe Micro Estates by the developer, it would also feature a community home and kitchen area.

“We’re not just building houses,” Kuby said. “We’re building affordable houses and building community.”

Kuby said prices for the homes had not been set. They could be as high as $130,000 but could be lower depending on sustainability perks, such as solar power.

“Some of the students who were involved at the very beginning, three years ago when we started to conceive this project, hope to be involved as well,” Kuby said.

“Some of the best ideas in urban solutions come from our students at Arizona State University and we’re so excited to work with engineering students on this fabulous idea.”

KTAR News’ Nailea Leon contributed to this report.