BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — The City of Bisbee wants to increase its supply of affordable housing by selling the old Hillcrest Apartments building, near the Copper Queen Community Hospital.
The hope is that the new owners of the complex will use it house people who live and work in the area.
Cochise County has 825 housing vouchers, but like in many parts of the country, there isn’t enough affordable housing available.
"We have a huge shortage of housing,” said Melissa Hartman, a senior planner for the city.
The complex can house up to 36 families, which is why the city is putting in the work to get it onto the market.
"We're getting ready to go into our high season, so everybody's going to hire up, and there's just nowhere available for them to stay,” Hartman said.
The city is removing asbestos from the building. Hartman says they removed all of the windows because they had lead paint. They are using a $500,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for the clean-up efforts.
"This building represents just one thing the City of Bisbee is doing to make the housing market more affordable,” said City Manager Stephen Pauken.
Pauken says the city took ownership of the building in 2021, after the previous owners fell behind in utility bills to the tune of $90,000.
By cleaning it up, they hope to have an easier time selling the building. This is the third time it has been listed for sale.
"(The repairs) just made this too cost-prohibitive for someone to develop, so we had to step in and help that out,” Hartman said.
Hartman said developers are in contact with the city about the property, looking to make it short and long-term housing.
"The investors that I have been talking with have some great ideas for this building,” Hartman said.
Hartman said they hope to have the complex on the market in the next couple of months and will be looking to sell it for $700,000-$800,000.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
