Hi renters,

Politicians often say they’re working to make housing more affordable—but what are they doing exactly?

I sat down with US Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) to ask him this. In our Q&A, he lays out some of the legislation he’s working on to address the housing crisis in Arizona and the rest of the US.

I’ve also got some cool listings for you, a question I need your help answering, and some advice for creating home office space, no matter the size of your place.

Hope you enjoy this edition! The next one will hit your inbox on Oct. 22.

US Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., speaks at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

At 45 years old, Ruben Gallego is one of the youngest members of the US Senate.

The median age of a US senator is 65—meaning there’s a generational gap between the Arizona Democrat, who is on the cusp of Gen X and millennial, and the Boomers who make up the majority of the Senate.

When I spoke with Gallego at The Copper Courier’s downtown Phoenix coworking space last week, he cited his age as a reason he cares about legislation aimed at making housing more affordable.

Even though buying a home in Phoenix wasn’t out of reach in his 20s—we talk about his first homebuying experience below—he says he’s more in touch with issues facing young people, with housing costs being one of the most pressing.

I told him about the summer I spent looking at homes in Phoenix and the painful reality check I got after touring the low-quality houses in my budget. He recognized that this was part of a systemic problem, not just my inability as a millennial to cut back on avocado toast.

He also recognizes that he has a responsibility as a member of Congress to do something about it. We talked about what he’s doing to move the needle on the affordable housing crisis—including the ROAD to Housing Act—and how he’s pushing back against algorithms that keep rent artificially high.

🚰 If you fight over the sink: The Altitude Sixteen 75 near Northern Avenue and 16th Street is your typical luxury apartment complex, with a lovely-looking pool and gym. But what caught my eye was that the two-bedroom units have double vanities. Maybe this is par for the course for these types of complexes—I haven’t toured many—but that’s definitely a feature I would enjoy. One-bedrooms start at $1,485 while two-bedrooms start at $2,055.

🪞 If you like conversation-starting features: Speaking of sinks, this house near Northern Avenue and 12th Street has an interesting wraparound vanity I can’t say I’ve seen before. Not only do you get two sinks, but they’re on opposite sides of each other. The 2,421-square-foot, three-bed, 2.5-bath is going for $4,200 a month. 

🚪 If you’re craving wide open spaces: This 5-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom house near 27th Avenue and Dobbins Road offers a whopping 3,588 square feet for just under $3,000 a month. There are lots of interesting things in this house to look at: a two-way fireplace, a balcony, a soaking tub, and a backyard pool. 

💰 If budget is king: This apartment near 19th Avenue and Dunlap is pretty teeny at 494 square feet, but at $699 a month, it’s one of the cheapest units I’ve found. It includes in-unit laundry and allows pets. 

If you come across any interesting, weird, or surprisingly affordable listings that you think should be featured here, please send them my way at responses@coppercourier.com!

Listings available as of Oct. 8. I’m not paid to share these listings, but that doesn’t mean I can personally vouch for them. Please do your research before applying and signing a lease!

This is The Tenant’s Voice, a place where we can share our renting frustrations, helpful tips, and pressing questions. 

I know from your responses that many of you are long-time renters in the Phoenix area. 

A lot of people have reached out asking for advice when it comes to finding good areas to rent in, dealing with property management, negotiating rent increases, and more—but I know you all don’t want to just hear about my experiences.

So I ask: What advice do you have for other Phoenix renters? What have you learned about renting during your time as a tenant? 

Please email me at responses@coppercourier.com and let me know. I’ll share some responses in the next edition!

🛍️ The US has a need for more housing, and no need for “zombie” shopping malls. Could redeveloping these be a solution? (Newsweek)

🏠 Speaking of malls, Metrocenter in Phoenix has officially been demolished, and housing is part of the redevelopment plan. (Phoenix New Times)

🚈 A vacant site near the new South Central light rail station could be redeveloped into affordable housing. (azcentral)

🏘️ New housing developments in metro Phoenix are running into a big problem: uncertainty over having enough water to sustain them. (High Country News)

💻 Here are some ideas for creating a home office space, even with small square footage. (Apartment Therapy)

🔑 Time to move? Here’s how to find your next rental in Phoenix. (The Copper Courier)

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jessica Swarner and edited by Paula Solis. Rent Check PHX is happily free to read for everyone. Your financial support means a lot to us.

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