The Camp Verde Town Council discussed the future of housing in Camp Verde and the Verde Valley at the special session on Wednesday, July 9.
Special Initiatives Manager Cliff Bryson gave a presentation outlining the differences between “affordable” and “attainable” housing and provided an overview of housing initiatives in Camp Verde and across the Verde Valley.
Bryson clarified the distinction between affordable versus attainable housing and how Camp Verde is in need of more units of both.
“We do need housing, but we need diverse housing,” Bryson said. “We need all types of housing that appeals to all different demographics.”
“Affordable” housing is defined by the US Department of Housing & Urban Development as housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross monthly income, including rent or mortgage, utilities and other essential housing expenses. The average median income for a household in Camp Verde is $58,383, so housing should not cost more than $1,460 per month, following the 30% benchmark.
Attainable housing, also referred to as workforce housing or “missing middle” housing, serves moderate-income households that earn too much to qualify for affordable housing programs or subsidies, yet struggle to find housing within their means. These households include a broad section of the workforce, such as health care workers, teachers and first-responders that are frequently priced out of the market. The gap between not qualifying for housing assistance yet not earning enough to afford a home in the market leads to this “missing middle.”
Missing middle housing sits between high-end apartment complexes and lower income housing, such as Section 8 federal housing assistance. These are smaller, more cost-efficient units like compact cottages or single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, accessory dwelling units and mid-sized apartments. These structures close the gap between large apartment complexes and single-family houses.
“I really appreciate the term ‘missing middle’ housing,” Vice Mayor Wendy Escoffier said. “That really sums it up well.”
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, around 21.7% of Camp Verde residents live below the federal poverty threshold. In 2020, this was set at $21,720 for a family of three and $26,200 for a family of four.
In January 2025, the average home cost in Camp Verde was $414,000, according to Zillow, a 75% increase from 2018’s average of $237,000. Within the same timeframe, the median household income increased by only 22% from $48,000 to roughly $58,000.
In 2024, the average monthly rental cost across all housing types in Camp Verde was approximately $1,765, according to Zillow, yet a three-bedroom home cost closer to $2,850.
Bryson noted that there are a lot of factors that contribute to this, such as interest rates and the cost of materials and development.
Bryson stated that there are many housing developments both in the planning stages and currently under construction. The Camp Verde Community Development Department has recently created a housing dashboard that shows all current conceptual, developable, in-construction and completed projects in town. The dashboard is divided by the town’s character areas, so a resident can click on the “Pecan Lane character area” and see how many projects are in that area.
“I think this is the key to transparency to let the public know what’s coming,” Bryson said.
The map is color-coordinated, indicating whether a project is residential or commercial, and whether a lot is vacant and/or developable. Residents and developers can also look at the map by zoning type and can click on parcels to see what they look like. There is a key that denotes what stage each project is in.
Representatives from the Yavapai-Apache Nation and the Verde Valley Community Development Organization provided updates on their housing efforts and partnerships.
Sharie Benson, executive director of the Yavapai-Apache Nation’s Housing Department, and Edwin Hazelwood Jr., the Y-AN’s Community Development director, provided a housing update for the Nation.
The tribal government just completed the construction of 40 homes, all of which are now occupied. Benson said that these are “forever homes”: Well-built homes for families to spend their lives.
The Nation is working on another project of 38 homes and a gymnasium, and received an award in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit funding to construct another 37 homes. The Nation is also working on constructing three four-bed transitional homes for tribal members getting out of jail, rehab and homelessness, via state housing trust funds.
Mary Chicoine, executive director of the Verde Valley Community Development Organization, shared the organization’s latest project, a cost of development document.
“People have been asking what does it cost to build a house in each municipality and in the county in the Verde Valley, and we are working to put together a document that defines that by all the minutiae of what it does cost to build a house,” such as fees and zoning, Chicoine said.
VVCDO finalized its developable land project last June, which provides information to builders and developers looking to enter the region or expand.
VVCDO has resources available on their website that list different housing needs and resources, such as senior housing needs, emergency shelter and rental assistance.
