Goldwater Institute Advocates for Permit Freedom Act to Boost Housing and Economy in Arizona
The Goldwater Institute is actively promoting its Permit Freedom Act in Arizona, a legislative reform enacted in 2023 to address rising housing prices and slow development. The Act aims to streamline the permitting process by requiring local governments to clearly state all permit requirements, set firm deadlines for application reviews, and ensure neutral decision-makers hear appeals for denied permits. According to research by the Common Sense Institute, this reform has already significantly reduced permit timelines, with an average drop from 200 days to 126 days. Specifically, cities like Chandler and Mesa saw delays decrease by 49% and 64% respectively, while Phoenix experienced over a 12% reduction in wait times. Timothy Sandefur, Goldwater’s Vice President for Legal Affairs, highlighted these successes in a recent webinar, emphasizing the need to make it easier to build homes in Arizona, one of the nation's fastest-growing states.
