Yavapai College to build on-campus RV park to address high cost of housing
CLARKDALE — Yavapai College is the latest in a long list of school boards, local governments and more that have had to get creative to address the affordable housing shortage across northern Arizona.
The school is building a 10-space RV park on its Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale that is planned to open in time for the fall semester. The location is arguably one of the best in the area, overlooking the school’s 12-acre teaching vineyard with a clear view of Mingus Mountain in the distance.
The park will include six pads open to college employees or students who already own an RV, while the school will furnish RVs for rent on the remaining four pads on the lot. Keeping curb appeal in mind, the park will also feature a patio, gazebo and a dog run in addition to an on-site laundry facility.
“It's really been in the last maybe two to three years that we’ve started to feel like (the cost of housing) is starting to influence our ability to attract new people,” said Clint Ewell, the school’s vice president of finance and administrative services.
Three employees at the school already have expressed interest in living at the RV park on its completion, Ewell said.
“Over time, I think this becomes a great way for us to onboard new employees and give them a place to land and get the lay of the land before they go out looking for a house to buy or rent,” he said.
At the same time, leaders at the school are considering a variety of other solutions to ease the housing burden for their students, faculty and staff.
In addition to possibly buying some premanufactured homes in Prescott Valley, they also are focused on using their own programs to address the need for affordable housing. The tiny homes that students in the construction program produce originally were intended to go on the open market, but the plan has since switched to building small tiny home neighborhoods on campus instead.
Yavapai College is also one of the few community colleges in the country to offer 3D printed construction, a more cost-effective process of building than traditional methods. Using this process, Ewell said, they expect to be able to reduce the cost of the finished structure by 30% to 40%.
Yavapai College is not the only school moving forward with plans to address regional housing woes. Mohave Community College is planning to build 16 two-bedroom, single-level apartments on the school’s Bullhead City campus. General contractors and a design team were chosen for the project in May, with construction expected to be completed in June 2024.
“This is very exciting for the students, the college and the community,” Mohave Community College President Dr. Stacy Klippenstein said in a news release. “Student housing is part of our Facilities Master Plan to help provide a housing option for students, and in a broader perspective, help lessen the burden on the housing shortage our region’s experiencing.”
Bullhead City leaders expressed support for student housing on or near campus by passing a resolution during their Feb. 7 meeting.
“Because of the programs offered, whether it be nursing or dental hygienist or welding or truck driving or soon to be college athletics, student housing is essential,” Bullhead City Manager Toby Cotter said when presenting the resolution.
“We know people are coming here to this campus to study those programs now from not only Bullhead City and our county but from outside of Mohave County and outside the state of Arizona. They have to find housing just like anyone else, so there is a demand,” Cotter said.
Reach the reporter at LLatch@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Yavapai College building RV park to combat high cost of AZ housing
