Dear Friends of Preservation,
We need your immediate help.
SB1118—the bipartisan, common-sense bill to protect Arizona’s historic neighborhoods while preserving housing opportunities—is expected to return to the Arizona House of Representatives for a final vote this week.
The outcome could determine whether many of Arizona’s historic homes remain standing for future generations.
We urgently need you to contact legislators and ask them to vote YES on SB1118.
Over the past several days, opponents have been urging lawmakers to reject this bill, claiming it will stop housing development and undermine Arizona’s Middle Housing law.
That claim is simply false and some opposed are creating confusion by conflating SB1118 with a previous bill, HB2375, that contained a carve-out for historic districts from Middle Housing. SB1118 contains no such carve-out or exemption. SB1118 embraces Middle Housing in our historic districts, where it has existed alongside single-family housing for decades – it simply protects existing National Register homes from demolition. It is not an anti-housing bill. It is a preservation bill.
Let’s be clear about what SB1118 does—and what it does not do.
SB1118 does NOT ban duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, or ADUs.
SB1118 does NOT reduce the housing density allowed under Arizona’s Middle Housing Law.
SB1118 does NOT stop housing development.
What SB1118 DOES is address a very specific and unintended consequence of the 2024 Middle Housing Law: the demolition of historic homes.
The University of Arizona’s Drachman Institute—the only evidence-based analysis conducted to date on Arizona’s Middle Housing law—confirmed what preservation experts and historic neighborhood advocates statewide have been saying all along:
“We found it very difficult to increase density on a property to 4 units without demolishing existing structures.”
The report further warned that if developers determine four units provide the highest return on investment, the result “may have an adverse impact on a National Historic District.”
The threat is not speculative. It is real.
SB1118 offers a sensible compromise.
The bill allows all of the housing opportunities created under Arizona’s Middle Housing law to remain in place. Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and ADUs can still be built. The bill simply says that developers should not receive Middle Housing incentives when they demolish a home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
That is not anti-housing.
That is smart planning.
That is responsible stewardship.
That is common sense.
Historic neighborhoods are not “living museums.” They are among Arizona’s most diverse, walkable, and densely populated communities. They already contain a mix of housing types and provide naturally occurring affordable housing for thousands of Arizonans.
SB1118 supports:
- More housing choices
- Preservation of existing historic homes
- Adaptive reuse and reinvestment
- Thoughtful infill development
- Local flexibility and sensible planning
- A balanced approach to growth and preservation
Please Contact These Key Legislators Today and respectfully ask them to vote YES on SB1118:
Rep. Cesar Aguilar
(602) 926-3953
Rep. Lorena Austin
(602_ 926-3968
Rep. Pamela Carter
(602) 926-3153
Rep. Lupe Contreras
(602) 926-5284
Rep. Quantá Crews
(602) 926-3256
Rep. Lupe Diaz
(602) 926-4852
Rep. Brian Garcia
(602) 926-3329
Rep. Gail Griffin
(602) 926-5895
Rep. Alexander Kolodin
(602) 926-3560
Rep. Michele Peña
(602) 926-3696
Rep. Cody Reim
(602) 926-3436
Rep. Stephanie Simacek
(602) 926-3083
Rep. Myron Tsosie
(602) 926-3157
Rep. Justin Wilmeth
(602) 926-5044
Thank Legislators Who Have Supported SB1118
Rep. Matt Gress (sponsor)
(602) 926-4105
Rep. Betty Villegas
(602) 926-3027
Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton
(602) 926-3279
Suggested Messages:
“Please vote YES on SB1118. The bill does not reduce housing density or prohibit middle housing. It simply protects historic homes from unnecessary demolition.
“The University of Arizona’s Drachman Institute found that achieving four units on many historic lots would require demolition of existing homes. SB1118 is a reasonable compromise that protects Arizona’s historic neighborhoods while allowing more housing.”
“Arizona’s historic neighborhoods occupy only a tiny fraction of our state’s land area, but they are a huge part of our heritage, our economy, tourism and our sense of place. Please ensure they are here for future generations by voting YES on SB1118.”
“SB1118 is a common-sense fix to an unintended consequence of Arizona’s middle housing law. It does not ban duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, or townhomes. It simply helps protect historic homes from unnecessary demolition. Please vote YES.”
“We can create more housing without tearing down the homes that define Arizona’s historic neighborhoods. SB1118 strikes that balance by allowing growth while preserving irreplaceable historic resources. Please support SB1118.”
“Arizona’s historic neighborhoods are small in size but play a big role in our state’s identity and housing diversity. Once a historic home is demolished, it’s gone forever. Please vote YES on SB1118 and help protect these irreplaceable places.”
“Please vote YES on SB1118—a smart bipartisan solution that protects historic homes without reducing middle housing opportunities.”
“SB1118 doesn’t stop housing—it stops unnecessary demolition of historic homes. Please vote YES”.
Please take two minutes today to make a call, send an email, and share this message with friends, neighbors, and family members.
As our Nation approaches its 250th birthday, the places that tell our shared story take on even greater meaning. Across America, our great cities have safeguarded their historic neighborhoods as living connections to the people, events, and traditions that shaped them. Arizona should be no exception.
When a historic home—loved, lived in, and cared for by generations of Arizonans—is demolished, we lose more than a building. We lose a tangible piece of our state’s story, a chapter that can never be rewritten or replaced.
Taking a few minutes of your time today to contact Arizona House members can make all the difference for the future of Arizona’s historic places.
Thank you for standing with us in this critical moment.
Dr. Robert Cannon
Opal Wagner Co-Chairs, Save Historic AZ
Save Historic AZ 