Over the past decade, a steady drumbeat of housing studies — from Yavapai County and the Verde Valley to Prescott Valley, Prescott and the state of Arizona — have reached a remarkably consistent conclusion: housing costs have risen faster than incomes, and the types of homes being built no longer address the needs of the people who live and work here.
One of the most recent reports, The 2024 State of Housing in Arizona by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute, places Yavapai County squarely within a broader statewide crisis. Rapid growth, limited land served by infrastructure and rising construction costs have produced a severe shortage of housing, especially rentals that everyday residents can afford.
These reports have been essential for establishing the facts, defining the scope of the problem, and identifying potential solutions. In response, Yavapai College is piloting some of these concepts to support its students and workforce.
Since its inception in 1968, YC has provided student housing with traditional residence halls on its Prescott campus. These are accommodations typically intended for recent high school graduates who will learn to live independently with the guidance of professional and peer staff. Over time, however, the demographics of the student body have changed.
“At Yavapai College, we serve both traditional students aged 18-21 and nontraditional students of all ages, including working adults, single parents, young families and returning learners in their 30s, 40s and beyond,” Director of Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects Ivonne Zuniga said. A 2020 study commissioned by YC found that many of these nontraditional students would appreciate and take advantage of college housing options that afforded more autonomy and privacy.
Simultaneously, YC has experienced several failed searches in which job candidates declined offers due to the cost of living or accepted the position but left within a year when they could not find attainable housing.
After extensive research, YC has responded by piloting several solutions. They began with a small RV park at its Verde Valley campus in Clarkdale. Students and employees may rent one of 10 RV pads if they own their own unit, or they may rent one of the college’s four travel trailers. Denser housing — that is, units per acre — was one of the solutions recommended in the housing studies.
Next, YC purchased a summer camp in Prescott and renovated it into year-round housing. The Prescott Pines at Yavapai College can accommodate 88 students and 11 employees with their families. What were originally bunkhouses (bedrooms with bathrooms) were converted into small apartments with kitchens. There are also 10 RV pads that can be used for students or employees.
In recent years, YC has worked with its own construction training programs to build tiny homes. Students in carpentry, plumbing and electrical classes now work together to construct the 300-square foot homes installed at college locations for residential use by college employees or possibly students.
The first 10 were installed last semester, with five at the Verde Valley campus and five at the Chino Valley Center. Based on the success of the RV pads at the Pines camp and the Verde Valley campus, the college has created 16 RV pads at the Chino Valley Center as well.
These solutions allow the college to offer housing at HUD Fair Market Rates, which are roughly 10% below standard market rates.
