Hi renters,

Welcome to Rent Check PHX. In today’s issue, we’re talking about a convenient way to buy affordable produce that you may not know about.

But you may have seen it—it’s hard to miss the bright, multicolored buses delivering fruits and veggies to neighborhoods around the Valley. A few months ago, I found myself right next to one on the 202.

We’ve also got some interesting homes on the rental market (including one where you can fish from your backyard), a call for members of neighborhood groups to write in, and some national and local housing news that impact Arizona.

Thanks for tuning in this week. I’ll be back in your inbox on April 1 (maybe with a prank?). Hope you learn something useful, and don’t forget to forward this to a fellow renter!

Jessica Swarner

Newsletter Editor, Rent Check PHX

How I scored cheap produce from a mobile market in my Phoenix neighborhood

large bus printed with bright green designs and brightly colored fruits and veggies and text that says Farm Express

A Farm Express Mobile Market bus parked at a stop to sell fresh produce to the community in the Phoenix metro area. (Photo courtesy of Activate Food Arizona)

I like to accomplish as many tasks as possible by walking. It’s good for the environment, it helps me move my body, and it saves me from dealing with stressful Phoenix traffic.

I’m lucky that I can run a number of errands on foot where I live in the Garfield neighborhood downtown. But grocery shopping isn’t quite as convenient—the big stores are further away than I’d like, and the smaller shops nearby have high markups.

So when I found out there’s a bus that brings cheap, local produce directly into neighborhoods, I had to check it out.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, I walked from my home to Aimright Ministries on 13th and Roosevelt streets, where the Farm Express bus was parked. As I walked up, the two people working there waved and welcomed me to the small market they had set up in the lot.

I was surprised by how wide the selection was. The tables held berries, citrus, bags of salad mix, potatoes, onions, and more—lots of the items I regularly buy at Fry’s each week.

I picked up a bag of baby carrots, a grapefruit, a broccoli crown, and green onions for a total of $4.25. When I compared prices to Fry’s and Safeway, I would have paid about $2 more for the same items.

How to find the closest Farm Express bus to you

🧱 If you like a funky, vintage-feeling home: This three-bed, two-bath near 19th and Dunlap avenues has some fun design elements: an archway on the front exterior, bold tiling throughout the house, a big brick wall and fireplace, and more. The 1,829-square-foot house has a two-car garage, covered back patio, driveway basketball hoop, and RV gate with pavers. The home is listed for $3,000 and available now. Cats and large dogs are allowed.

🛶 If you want to live in the desert, but also by the water: This three-bed, three-bath near 32nd Street and Chandler Boulevard has a rare feature for Arizona—it’s a lakefront property. The $3,895 a month rent includes weekly pool service, regular landscaping, rooftop solar electricity, and a Tesla Level 2 charger. Outdoor amenities include a backyard pool, fire pit, grill, and three kayaks. And if you like fishing? The manmade lake is stocked every year with game fish. The home is available April 10, and pets are considered on a case-by-case basis.

💸 If you’re wondering how low we can go: Here’s the cheapest thing I found on Zillow: a $750 a month, 650-square-foot, one-bed, one-bath off of Roosevelt Street and 39th Avenue. However, the listing notes, “Photos are of another recently remodeled unit and will be updated after remodel is complete.” I’d be waiting for those photos if I were you. The listing says the home is available now (so the remodel timeline is unclear…?) and cats and dogs 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!

Email me here

Listings available as of March 17. 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 (or wins!), helpful tips, and pressing questions.

I decided last year that, in 2026, I want to learn more about Phoenix’s neighborhood groups.

So far I’ve written about the Garfield neighborhood’s litter-lifting group, and the Downtown Core Community that’s bringing residents together. But I know there are so many more out there!

Are you part of a neighborhood group that’s doing cool things? Do you wish you were part of one, and are wondering how to start one?

Send me a message below, and we can connect for a potential future story.

Email here

*Paywalled content noted with 🔒

🏘️ The US Senate passed its largest housing bill in decades that’s meant to increase supply and bring costs down. (NPR)

⏰ ICYMI: I spoke with US Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona last fall about his support for this legislation. (The Copper Courier)

❎ A federal program that supported the construction of over 533,000 affordable homes in rural areas is being phased out. (The Conversation)

🔑 An affordable, 104-unit apartment complex 20 years in the making is now open in Tempe. (KTAR)

🧑‍⚖️ Arizona’s attorney general joined a lawsuit accusing the federal government of illegally withholding funding that’s meant to fight housing discrimination. (12 News)

💸 More than 65% of Arizona homes on the market last year included HOA fees, with a median cost of $110 per month. (Axios Phoenix)

🛋️ Furniture shopping? Check out these cute loveseats you can buy for under $500. (Apartment Therapy)