Hi renters,

Welcome to Rent Check PHX. In today’s issue we’re talking about a Phoenix resident who gets around the Valley without a car—something that, despite its difficulty, she proves is possible. 

I came across Skitch Kitchen’s videos on Instagram sometime in the past year and was instantly interested. She posts her adventures on bus routes across the Phoenix area, as well as explainers for how to use public transit. 

I had a lot of fun chatting with her about how she makes car-free living work for her in downtown Phoenix, and how she turns transit into a fun group activity with her friends. 

If you want to see public transit options near you, check out Valley Metro’s trip planner. 

I’ll be in your inbox next Wednesday, Aug. 19. Enjoy your week!

*Paywalled content noted with 🔒

💰 Median HOA fees across the country have risen from $108 a month in 2019 to $135 a month in 2025. (Phoenix Business Journal, 🔒)

💸 Here’s the salary that a single person needs to earn to live “comfortably” in Arizona. (Phoenix New Times)

🔑 The downtown Phoenix YMCA is closing its transitional housing facility, displacing about 60 people. The nonprofit says the 75-year-old building is beyond repair. (ABC 15)

🏠 Population growth in Pinal County—now the seventh fastest growing county in the US—is being driven by Valley commuters who want more affordable housing. (Axios Phoenix)

✈️ Arizona’s senators are pushing back on a proposed FAA plan that would change Phoenix-area flight paths and expose over 86,000 Valley residents to new noise pollution. (KJZZ)

🥫 Need to clear some space in your home? It may be time to let go of these six common pandemic-era purchases. (Apartment Therapy)

😃 A study ranked 182 US cities for happiness—and four Valley cities made the top 20. (Instagram)

Skitch Kitchen and her partner Jamie Trufin live car-free in downtown Phoenix. (Courtesy of Skitch Kitchen)

Skitch Kitchen, 27, knows what it’s like to be intimidated by public transportation. The Phoenix transit planner grew up car-dependent in Atlanta, and when she went to college in Boulder, Colorado, her roommates taught her how to use it there. 

It’s something she had to relearn in Phoenix, and again every time she visits a new city

“ I’m like, ‘Well, how do I pay? Do I need cash? … And then when I get on the bus, where do I pay? And then how do I request a stop? How much is it gonna cost?’ All that stuff,” she told Rent Check PHX. 

That’s why, in 2024, she started posting videos on Instagram and TikTok that demystify public transit and promote walking and biking, in the hopes that it gives Phoenicians the confidence to try it for themselves. 

“ I just want to make sure people know how to ride [transit],” she said, “so that if they do want to come downtown for a game or a concert, they can be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I remember. I can use the Park & Ride, and I can download the app and scan it, and then I can get there and not worry about parking.’”

🏠 If you want to live in a historic home: This listing comes to us today from reader Rick K., who says he manages the rental himself “with care and attention.” The home from 1930 is near Seventh Street and McDowell Road in the Coronado neighborhood. It is 1,136 square feet, with two bedrooms and one bathroom, and it’s listed for $1,950 a month. The home is available as of Friday and allows cats but no dogs. 

👙 If you want to host a Labor Day pool party: This four-bed, two-bath near Northern Avenue and 12th Street has a turf backyard and a pool with safety fencing. The 1,838-square-foot home is listed for $2,699 a month, with a required $150 monthly fee for weekly pool cleaning. The home is available now, and cats and dogs are allowed. 

📚 If you love to read outside: The cozy pergola in the yard of this four-bed, two-bath looks like the perfect outdoor reading nook to me. The 2,560-square-foot home is on the north side of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, near the 51. It also has an outdoor shower and outdoor kitchen, with access to community pools, basketball and tennis courts, and a hot tub. It’s available now for $3,500 a month—and it’s unclear if pets are allowed. 

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

Listings available as of Aug. 12. 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!

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jessica Swarner and edited by Crystal Niforos.

Rent Check PHX is free for everyone. Your financial support makes that possible.

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The McKinley Club
734 W. Polk St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007