Sanctions law blamed as apartments empty

By Becky Pallack and Mariana Alvarado Avalos

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

For a couple of months, Miguel León has watched the parking lot at his Midvale Park apartment complex empty out.

"The parking lot used to be full all the time. Now there's a lot of empty spaces," he said, watching a group of boys play a rowdy football game in the lot.

A lot of apartments are empty, too — a likely indicator of the growing impact of Arizona's new employer-sanctions law. The departure of foreign workers to other states and to Mexico has combined with the declining housing market to increase vacancies, apartment management executives said.

León, who said he has worked legally in the construction industry for 12 years, is doing well at his current job, but if his relatives move to another state because of the new law, he's willing to go with them.

"A lot of friends who are here illegally and have problems at work are just leaving," he said.

On top of that, the housing slump has increased the supply of rental homes, making them more competitive with higher-end apartments. The slump also has meant fewer jobs for construction workers who might rent apartments.