Tucson’s Affordability Edge Is Narrowing as National Attention Grows, REALTORS® Group Says
TUCSON, AZ (March 24, 2026) —Tucson’s long-held reputation as a “hidden gem” is giving way to something larger: a city increasingly recognized on the national stage, but also confronting the pressures that come with rapid growth, including the challenge of preserving its affordability edge.
That was the message from Tucson Association of REALTORS® CEO Romeo Arrieta in advance of the group’s upcoming Power of Real Estate Summit, set for March 27, where business and civic leaders are expected to discuss how housing, infrastructure, and economic development must work together to sustain Southern Arizona’s momentum.
Arrieta, who has worked in major economic centers including Dallas, Austin, and the San Francisco Bay Area, said Tucson’s relative affordability has long given the region a competitive edge. But he warned that the advantage is becoming harder to preserve as home prices rise and national interest in the market intensifies.
“In 2025, while Marin County saw median home prices hit a staggering $1.4 million, Tucson hovered around $350,000,” Arrieta said. “That affordability has been our competitive advantage. But that window of opportunity is closing.”
He argued that housing should be viewed not simply as a residential issue but as a form of critical infrastructure directly tied to economic growth and employer recruitment. If companies cannot be confident their workforce can find attainable housing, he said, they may choose to expand elsewhere.
Arrieta also pointed to the broader economic weight of real estate in Arizona, noting that in 2025 the sector accounted for $121.1 billion, or 23.2 percent of the state’s gross product. In that context, housing supply, pricing, and development capacity are no longer side issues, but core elements of regional competitiveness.
The March 27 summit is being positioned as a cross-sector conversation aimed at building what organizers describe as a more unified regional playbook. Topics will include housing inventory, pricing pressures, airport and downtown development, and the ripple effects those projects may have across the broader business community.
Participants are expected to include representatives from the Tucson Airport Authority, Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Visit Tucson, and Rio Nuevo, along with economists from Realtor.com and the National Association of REALTORS®.
According to summit materials, the event will focus on providing business leaders with better “inventory intelligence” on how housing costs affect talent recruitment and retention, while also encouraging closer alignment among real estate, infrastructure planning, and economic development strategy.
Arrieta said the region’s future growth will depend on whether leaders can move beyond siloed planning and address housing as a shared economic priority.“Our economic ceiling is only as high as our commitment to solving our housing challenges together,” he said.
With Tucson drawing more national attention than ever, the summit comes at a moment when local leaders are increasingly being asked to decide whether the region will simply absorb growth — or shape it.
Go here for more information and to register: The Power Of Real Estate 2026 | TUCSON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® INC
