Back to Arizona

HB2698 • 2026

rental assistance study committee

HB2698 - rental assistance study committee

Housing
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Alma Hernandez
Last action
2026-02-17
Official status
House minority caucus
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Rental Assistance Study Committee

HB2698 establishes a committee to study rental assistance programs in Arizona.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the Rental Assistance Study Committee with 13 members from various backgrounds.
  • Requires the committee to identify and review existing rental assistance programs, their eligibility criteria, administrative structures, and reporting practices.
  • Instructs the committee to examine coordination among state agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations involved in rental assistance.
  • Directs the committee to gather input from stakeholders and develop recommendations on program effectiveness.
  • Requires the committee to submit a report by December 31, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Rental Assistance Study Committee members
  • People involved in rental assistance programs in Arizona

Terms To Know

Rental Assistance Programs
Programs that help people pay for their rent.
Stakeholders
People or groups who have an interest in the rental assistance programs, such as renters and landlords.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The committee members do not receive compensation.
  • The committee will be dissolved on October 1, 2028.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-17 House

    House minority caucus

  2. 2026-02-17 House

    House majority caucus

  3. 2026-02-16 House

    House consent calendar

  4. 2026-01-21 House

    House second read

  5. 2026-01-20 House

    House Rules: C&P

  6. 2026-01-20 House

    House Commerce: DP

  7. 2026-01-20 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2698 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House
: COM DP 7-4-0-0

HB
2698
: rental assistance study committee

Sponsor:
Representative Hernandez A, LD 20

House
Engrossed

Overview

Creates
the Rental Assistance Study Committee (Study Committee) which examines the
effectiveness of rental assistance programs in Arizona.

History

The ADOH is responsible for: 1) establishing policies,
procedures and programs to address the affordable housing issues confronting
Arizona, including issues of low-income families, moderate income families,
housing affordability, special needs populations and decaying housing stock; 2)
providing, to qualified housing participants and political subdivisions of
Arizona, financial, advisory, consultative, planning, training and educational
assistance for the development of safe, decent and affordable housing,
including housing for low and moderate income households; and 3) maintaining
and enforcing standards of quality and safety for manufactured homes, mobile
homes and factory-built buildings (
A.R.S. �
41-3953
).

Provisions

1.

Establishes
the 13-member Study Committee and outlines the membership. (Sec. 1)

2.

Instructs
the Study Committee to:

a.

identify
existing rental assistance programs operating in Arizona;

b.

review
eligibility criteria, administrative structures and reporting practices of
rental assistance programs;

c.

examine
coordination among state agencies, political subdivisions and nonprofit
organizations administering rental assistance;

d.

solicit
input and testimony from stakeholders regarding rental assistance programs; and

e.

develop
findings and recommendations regarding the effectiveness of rental assistance
programs. (Sec. 1)

3.

Requires the
Study Committee to submit a report of findings and recommendations by December
31, 2027, to the Governor and the Legislature and provide a copy to the
Secretary of State. (Sec. 1)

4.

Prohibits Study
Committee members from receiving compensation. (Sec. 1)

5.

Repeals the Study
Committee on October 1, 2028. (Sec. 1)

6.

7.

8.

---------- DOCUMENT
FOOTER ---------

9.

Initials PB���������������������� HB
2698

10.

1/29/2026� Page 0 House
Engrossed

11.

12.

---------- DOCUMENT
FOOTER ---------

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2698 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

rental assistance
study committee

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2698

AN
ACT

ESTABLISHING the STUDY COMMITTEE ON
rental assistance.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.
Study
committee on rental assistance; membership; duties; report; delayed repeal

A. The study committee on
rental assistance is established consisting of the following members:

1.
One member
of the public who is a renter in this state

and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives.

2. One member who is a
rental housing developer in this state and who is appointed by the speaker of
the house of representatives.

3. One member of the public
who is a licensed real estate broker and member of a statewide real estate
organization
and who is appointed by the president of
the senate.

4.
Two
members who represent statewide tenant advocacy or housing organizations and
who are appointed by the governor.

5. Two members who
represent rental property owners and managers and who are appointed by the
president of the senate. One member must represent multifamily properties and
one member must represent mobile home parks.

6. The director of the
department of economic security or the director's designee.

7. The director of the
Arizona department of housing or the director's designee.

8. One republican member
who is appointed by the majority leader of the house of representatives.

9. One democratic member
who is appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

10. Two members who
represent local governments in this state and who are appointed on the
recommendation of the executive director of a statewide organization that
represents cities and towns in this state, one
representing
urban areas in this state, appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives
and one representing rural areas in this state, appointed
by the president of the senate.

B. The study committee
shall:

1. Meet quarterly or more
frequently as the study committee deems necessary.

2. Identify existing rental
assistance programs operating in this state, including programs funded by
federal, state and local sources.

3. Review eligibility
criteria, administrative structures and reporting practices of rental
assistance programs in this state.

4. Examine coordination
among state agencies, political subdivisions and nonprofit organizations
administering rental assistance.

5. Solicit input and
testimony from stakeholders regarding rental assistance programs in this state.

6. Develop findings and
recommendations regarding the effectiveness of rental assistance programs in
this state.

7. On or before December
31, 2027, submit a report of the committee's findings and recommendations to
the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
representatives and provide a copy of this report to the secretary of the
state.

C. Committee members are
not eligible to receive compensation.

D. This section is repealed
from and after September 30, 2028.