Former Scottsdale Trib editor Mark Scarp put up an excellent column today in the EV Trib about the crazy cycle of real estate development in the Valley of the Sun [Step away from the time machine, Arizona].
Scarp’s theme reminded me of the title of the 2010 John Cusak movie, Hot Tub Time Machine, which I never actually saw. However, a reference to it seemed appropriate given Scottsdale’s appetite for beach bars and the like.
The Arizona Town Hall to consider a new vision statement for Scottsdale’s General Plan begins tomorrow. Growth-versus-sustainabilty is one of the major debates in that consideration. Scarp’s column should be required reading for all participants.
Here is a quote from Scarp’s column:
We must plan a real future based on different economic pillars in addition to the proliferation of rooftops. New Arizonans should be always welcome. But we have to make sure they have jobs. Powerful as it is, the housing market has let Arizona down once too often for it to stand alone again.
Please give it a read.
2 Comments
Thanks for the heads up about Scarp’s article, John. I was surprised to learn about the demographic change re inbound Arizonans. Insightful and enlightening.
The dependence on housing development to support continued housing development is a very large part of why the economy in Arizona was hit as hard as it was. The truly massive layoffs were in the development sector. Those led to the collapse of the house of cards.
If housing development is the main industry in Arizona, we are doomed.