Danielle Ippolito and Daniel Velez had never imagined they’d become homeowners when they visited a new development down the street from their apartment in Tempe, Arizona, just east of Phoenix. They’d been searching for a new place, says Danielle, “but we couldn’t find anything within our budget. And we didn’t think we’d be able to buy anytime soon.”

Their interest was piqued when they heard about Tempe Micro Estates, a housing project targeted at low- and moderate-income buyers. Arranged around a central courtyard, the development’s 13 single-family homes, including one accessible unit, and a 900-square-foot community center were still under construction, but the couple saw the possibilities. “It made it more enticing that we already lived in the area and liked it,” says Daniel.

To address the needs of first-time buyers and others increasingly shut out of the housing market, the development is part of a community land trust (CLT), which means that residents own their homes but lease the land they sit on through a low-cost, renewable lease that lasts 99 years. Originating during the civil rights movement in the 1960s, CLTs have been a way for communities to preserve and increase affordability in neighborhoods where skyrocketing property values have traditionally pushed out lower-income residents.

The lack of affordable housing in Tempe was at the heart of the Micro Estates project. In 2015, city officials tasked engineering students from Arizona State University (ASU) with exploring the feasibility of creating a group of “humble homes” near downtown. The result was an idea for an energy-efficient tiny home development with a shared garden and a community center that would eventually become the Micro Estates. Fast-forward a few years and the city partnered with Maricopa County and the nonprofit Newtown Community Development Corporation, Arizona’s largest community land trust, to build a version of the complex on a walkable and bikeable site near ASU. In addition to support from the land trust, a combination of government funding and grants would keep home prices below market rates—from $170,000 to $210,000 apiece.

At 600 square feet, the homes are modest, but architect Matthew Salenger, of coLAB studio, has incorporated thoughtful features: There are fully equipped kitchens, operable windows, and patios in each home. Most have sleeping lofts, while the accessible model has a semi-separate bedroom. Salenger brought unique details to the exteriors as well—adorning inset patches on the otherwise white stucco boxes with metal panels and attaching small awnings over each entrance. Modest square windows punch through the units, creating irregular patterns on their facades.

Working with David Crummey, Newtown’s former project manager, and John Anderson and the team at 180 Degrees Design + Build, Salenger sought creative ways to keep construction costs in check, though pandemic-related material delays and price increases meant they sometimes had to resort to their third or fourth choice to stay on schedule. “We had deadlines we had to meet or we’d risk losing a portion of the funding,” Anderson remembers.

Limiting the windows to four per home, including a glass front door, was another cost-saving measure, so orientation was key. “The windows have different depths of shading, depending on whether they face north or south,” notes Salenger. “Most of the east- or west-facing windows and doors are under an overhang, so there’s not a lot of direct solar heat gain.”

Details like these at an affordable price were a major draw for Christian Curry, who’s now the head of the development’s homeowner association (HOA). After graduating from college, he considered renting in the Phoenix area, but faced with soaring prices, he moved in with his parents. The Micro Estates offered him something renting could not—the chance to build equity. “You can go to other parts of Phoenix and pay almost $350,000 for the same amount of square footage,” he says. “And this has all the necessities of a standard home.”

“The sustainable details here are important, because, as they say, environmentalism doesn’t really work if it isn’t for everyone.”
—Matthew Salenger, architect

Newtown and the HOA encourage residents to make the homes their own. Christian, for instance, has incorporated tech features such as smart light switches and blinds, redone the bathroom, and swapped out Formica countertops in the kitchen for quartz he salvaged at a scrapyard. When he or any of the residents decide to sell, Newtown can buy back the home for the original purchase price, plus 25 percent of the increased value. It’s an arrangement Christian appreciates. “Newtown can then pay it forward for the next homeowner,” he says. Newtown, which is dedicated to affordable housing and homebuyer education, now has more than 200 homes in its CLT, and there are two large developments in the works.

The layout of the property was designed to encourage interaction. The parking area, complete with solar-paneled roofs and EV charging stations, is set near the street, so residents engage with their neighbors as they come and go. The community center, which is outfitted with a kitchen and laundry facilities, is used for gatherings. Soon after moving in, some of the residents planted fruit trees, but keeping them alive in the Arizona heat proved to be a struggle.

Daniel says becoming a homeowner has changed the way he and Danielle live. “We’re caretakers of our property now. People take care of things a little differently when they’re invested in it.”

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Mathew Salenger, coLAB Studio

Builder: John Anderson, 180 Degrees Design + Build

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