♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL HEAR FROM THE MAYOR OF TEMPE ABOUT THE CITY'S PLANS TO COMBINE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A NEW FIRE STATION.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, THE BLACK THEATER TROUPE IS SET TO OPEN AUGUST WILSON'S ICONIC PLAY THIS WEEKEND.

>>> AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE HISTORIC HOME TOUR AND STREET FAIR.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE CITY OF TEMPE IS LOOKING TO COMBINE A NEW FIRE STATION WITH NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ALL IN ONE LOCATION.

THE GOAL IS TO EXPAND TEMPE'S HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE TIMES.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME IN TEMPE MAYOR, COREY WOODS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND A FIRE STATION ALL IN ONE PLACE, HUH?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU HAVE A LAND LOCKED CITY OF 40 SQUARE MILES, LAND COMES AT A PREMIUM.

THERE IS A STUDY DONE IN 2021 THAT SHOWS ADDITIONAL POPULATION SHIFTS AROUND THAT AREA.

THAT'S WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PURCHASE THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, $6.6 MILLION IN BOND FUNDING FROM NOVEMBER OF 2024 FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND THAT PASSED.

THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THAT.

WE WILL UPGRADE AND IMPROVE OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES AND FIRE RESCUE SERVICES AND INCLUDE 50 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

TED: I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE BOND ELECTION IN A SECOND.

THE 60 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ABOVE THE FIRE STATION, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

TED: DEFINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

>> TYPICALLY DEFINED BETWEEN ZERO AND 60 TO 70% OF MEDIAN INCOME.

WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE PRICED OUT OUR COMMUNITY.

THE COST OF HOUSING IN TEMPE AND THE ENTIRE VALLEY IS GOING UP, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, SERVICE WORKERS, TEACHERS, NURSES ARE RAPIDLY GETTING PRICED OUT OF COMMUNITY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A CRITICAL NEED.

WE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO NOT ONLY IMPROVE A LOT OF OUR FIRE MEDICAL RESCUE TIMES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES BUT ALSO TO ADD THESE VERY MUCH NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AS WELL.

TED: LOCATION IS EXACTLY WHERE?

>> AROUND RURAL AND LAKESHORE IN TEMPE.

TED: RURAL AND LAKESHORE?

I THOUGHT IT WAS CLOSER TO RURAL AND BASELINE.

>> RURAL AND BASELINE, YES, I'M NAMING TWO STREETS THAT ARE PARALLEL.

IT IS RURAL AND BASELINE.

>> YOU WERE CONFUSING ME THERE.

THAT'S A LOT OF LOCATION THERE.

THE PARK IS NEARBY, LOTS OF STUFF HAPPENING.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT HOUSING STAYS AFFORDABLE AND DOESN'T GO UP BECAUSE IT'S ATTRACTIVE?

>> SO WE END UP PLACING A COVENANT ON THOSE HOUSING UNITS.

WE DO PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

THE CITY OF TEMPE WILL NOT BUILD THE PROPERTIES OURSELVES.

WE'LL PARTNER WITH A PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPER WHO WILL BUILD THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT MANDATE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING BE AFFORDABLE FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF 30 YEARS, THAT'S HOW WE DO IT.

WHEN WE OWN THE LAND, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLACE THE STIPULATIONS ON ANY DEVELOPMENT, WHY MANY TIMES IN TEMPE, WE TRY TO ACQUIRE AS MUCH LAND AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

TED: RENTALS?

CONDOS?

WHAT ARE THEY?

>> RENTALS.

TED: OKAY, BUILT ON TOP OF THE FIRE STATION?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH SOUNDPROOFING TO BE COMFORTABLE FOR THE FOLKS LIVING UP THERE.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE THAN RIGHT ABOVE A FIRE STATION, WHERE I HAVE ALL OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESCUE SERVICES ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

TED: RESPONSE TIMES IN THAT AREA, NOT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE, OR WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> THEY ARE EXCEPTIONAL, ACTUALLY, FROM THE FIRE MEDICAL RESCUE TEAM.

DID A STUDY IN 2021 TO SHOW WHERE WE HAVE POPULATION GROWTH OR SHIFTS IN POPULATION, AND SO THIS WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA WHERE WE SHOULD MAKE A FUTURE INVESTMENT TO BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICES ARE ALREADY EXCEPTIONAL, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE CONSISTENTLY STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND DO THE UPDATES.

TED: BOND APPROVAL, 2024, CORRECT?

>> YES.

TED: WHAT WAS VOTED ON AND WHAT EXACTLY DID PEOPLE SAY WE WANT THAT DONE?

>> PART OF THE BOND PACKAGE WAS IT WAS $581 MILLION IN TOTAL, BUT QUESTION NUMBER THREE WAS $32 MILLION SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF TEMPE?

SO BASICALLY $8 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IS ALLOTMENT WE RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THAT VOTE.

69% OF TEMPE VOTERS VOTED FOR THAT PROPOSAL.

THIS IS OUR FIRST DOWN PAYMENT.

I'M MAKING SURE WE COMMIT TO THE PROMISE.

IT WAS $6.6 MILLION TO ACQUIRE THAT LAND.

AND I SHOULD ALSO SAY, IT WILL BE A MINIMUM OF 50 AFFORDABLE UNITS, MAY END UP BEING MORE, BUT PROMISING THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 50.

TED: THERE IS A THREE-ACRE SITE?

>> APPROXIMATELY.

TED: YOU STILL GOT LEASES THERE.

>> EXACTLY.

WE GOT LEASES THAT RUN UNTIL THE END OF 2028.

WE WANT TO DO RIGHT BY THE BUSINESSES THAT EXISTED IN TEMPE FOR SOME TIME.

ONCE THE LEASES RUN OUT, WE'LL START CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEW FIRE STATION AND THE APARTMENTS.

TED: THE IDEA OF COMBINING HOUSING UNITS WITH A SERVICE, IN THIS CASE, A FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WAS THIS A BEST PRACTICE?

DID YOU FIND IT SOMEPLACE ELSE?

>> ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA HAS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA.

NOT A NEW CONCEPT.

WE TRIED IN THE CITY OF TEMPE, WE HAVE OUR OWN GOOD IDEAS FROM TIME TO TIME.

IF THEY ARE INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD THINKING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN DONE ELSEWHERE IN THE VALLEY, BUT WE KNOW IT'S BEEN DONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

TED: ARE YOU CONCERNED THIS IS NOWHERE NEAR THE TROLLEY, NOWHERE NEAR THE LIGHT RAIL?

>> NO, BUS RAPID TRANSIT AND OTHER SERVICES IN THE CITY OF TEMPE ALONG WITH HAVING THE MOST ROBUST BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE ENTIRE EAST VALLEY, THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SINGLE USE AUTOMOBILE, BICYCLE OR BUS RAPID TRANSIT TO GET AROUND EVERY PART OF TEMPE FROM THE LOCATION.

TED: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT RURAL AND LAKESHORE -- >> RURAL AND BASELINE, YES.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> AS FAR AS RURAL AND BASELINE, HOLY SMOKES MAYOR, THAT CAN GET BACKED UP.

>> A VERY, VERY BUSY PART OF THE CITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA WHEN IT COMES TO NOT ONLY APARTMENTS BUT RETAIL OPTIONS LIKE THE MOVIE THEATER ON THE NORTH SIDE.

I HAVE NO DOUBT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET BACK AND FORTH AND THIS IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

TED: NO DOUBT, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING AS FAR AS PEOPLE IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?

>> NOTHING BUT POSITIVE.

PEOPLE REACHED OUT THROUGH E-MAIL OR FOLKS THEY BUMP INTO IN THE GROCERY STORE IN AND AROUND TEMPE WHO SAID THIS IS A VERY CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE WAY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE UTILIZING OUR LAND BY CREATING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAKING SURE THAT EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESCUE TIMES STAY UP TO PAR.

TED: COULD IT BE ANOTHER SERVICE, ANOTHER CITY SERVICE, MUNICIPAL BUILDING OF SOME KIND THAT COULD BE BASIC, BASE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CAN YOU DO ANOTHER SPOT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AS WE HAVE OTHER NEEDS, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY A WAY TO COMBINE PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITIES, TRANSPORTATION ACTIVITIES WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WHEN YOU HAVE A LAND LOCKED CITY OF 40 SQUARE MILES, YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE LAND COMES AT A PREMIUM.

WE HAVE TO DO CREATIVE REUSE NOT JUST SAY WE'LL PUT THE HOUSING HERE AND OTHER SERVICES HERE.

SOMETIMES WE CAN COMBINE THOSE THINGS AND SERVE LOTS OF MULTIPLE NEEDS AT THE SAME TIME.

TED: TEMPE MAYOR COREY WOODS.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU, GOOD TO SEE YOU, TED.

JITNEY .

TED: THE BLACK THEATER TROUPE IS SET TO PERFORM AUGUST WILSON'S ICONIC PLAY JITNEY.

THE FIRST OF TEN PLAYS THAT MAKE UP AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE WHICH DOCUMENTS AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCES IN THE 20th CENTURY.

JOINING US IS RACHEL FINLEY, THE PLAY'S DIRECTOR AND DAVID HEMFILL, THE BLACK THEATER TROUPE'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

TED: I WANT TO TALK TO DAVID.

ANOTHER AUGUST WILSON.

YOU ARE BIG ON AUGUST WILSON, AREN'T YOU?

>> WE'RE BIG ON AUGUST WILSON.

HE'S THE STANDARD BEARER FOR RELEVANT, GOOD, AFRICAN-AMERICAN STORIES, AND HE'S DEVOTED HIMSELF, HIS WORK TO THAT CYCLE.

IT HAS TO BE SEEN.

WE'VE DONE ALL TEN.

ONE OF ONLY 12 COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE DONE ALL TEN PLAYS IN THE CYCLE.

WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

TED: AND RECOGNIZED BY THE AUGUST WILSON FAMILY FOR THIS, CORRECT?

>> BY THE FAMILY, BY THE PITTSBURGH GAZETTE, THE AUGUST WILSON HOUSE, RECOGNIZED BY ALL OF THEM.

TED: JITNEY, WHAT'S IT ABOUT, AS DIRECTOR NOW, HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO PUT ON AN ICONIC PLAY, PEOPLE KIND OF KNOW, THEY KNOW AUGUST WILSON, THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

IS THAT A LITTLE PRESSURE FOR YOU?

>> WELL, I THINK, I LOOK AT IT MORE AS AN OPPORTUNITY, EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THAN PRESSURE BECAUSE THIS IS A PLAY THAT REALLY IS RELEVANT TO OUR TIMES, IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.

PEOPLE THAT ARE ALL COMING FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND SOME WAYS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHO REPRESENT DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, BUT COME TOGETHER TO FIND A WAY, IN A SYSTEM THAT WASN'T SET UP TO SUPPORT THEM, TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

TED: THESE ARE UNLICENSED CAB DRIVERS IN PITTSBURGH, CORRECT?

>> YES.

TED: WHEN YOU PUT ON A PLAY LIKE THIS.

I ASK DIRECTORS THIS OFTEN, COULD BE SHAKESPEARE, COULD BE ANYTHING, DO YOU TRY TO FOLLOW GUIDELINES?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> BECAUSE AUGUST IS SUCH A GOOD PLAYWRIGHT, YOU DIG INTO WHAT THE SCRIPT IS TELLING YOU IT NEEDS.

I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE TRY TOO HARD TO PUT A SLANT ON IT THAT SHOWS THEY'RE THE ONE WHO DIRECTED IT.

TED: YES.

>> IF YOU DIG INTO WHAT THE STORY IS TELLING YOU, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WHO YOU ARE IS PRESENCE IN THE WORK, WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO FORCE IT TO BE THERE.

FOCUS ON WHAT IS IT THAT THE STOREY WANTS TO BE, TO COMMUNICATE, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT POPULATE THIS STORY, AND HOW CAN I BRING IT OUT OF THE ACTORS THAT ARE PART OF THIS PRODUCTION?

HOW CAN I BRING IT OUT OF THE DESIGNERS PUTTING TOGETHER THIS WORLD?

THAT'S MY FOCUS.

TED: THAT SOUNDS FASCINATING.

MUST BE QUITE THE CHALLENGE BUT VERY REWARDING.

ALL RIGHT, DAVID, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW AUGUST WILSON OR NOT FAMILIAR WITH AUGUST WILSON.

WHO IS HE, AND WHY ARE HIS PLAYS SO IMPORTANT?

>> WELL, HE WAS FROM PITTSBURGH, AND HE IS OUR ORIGINAL, HE WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO SHAKESPEARE OR SOMEONE THAT HAS A WIDE CANON OF WORK, WOULD BE RELEVANT IN THOSE TERMS.

HE STARTED WRITING, I THINK IT WAS IN THE 70s.

IN THE 70s HE STARTED WRITING, AND I THINK HE STARTED OUT WITH SOME ADVERSITY, BUT HE HAD ALL OF HIS PLAYS -- WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE PROVING GROUNDS, ALL OF HIS WORK, NOT ONLY GOT GOOD EXPOSURE BUT HE HAD TIME TO DEVELOP IT AND CRAFT IT.

IT'S WONDERFUL WORK.

TED: YEAH, IT IS, INDEED.

AND JITNEY WAS THE FIRST OF THE PLAYS, CORRECT?

>> YES.

TED: WHEN YOU PUT ON JITNEY, DO YOU SEE THINGS THAT WEREN'T AS DEVELOPED AS LATER PLAYS?

DO YOU SEE DIFFERENCES IN EARLY AND LATER PLAYS?

>> YOU SEE DIFFERENCES AND YOU SEE CONNECTIONS.

THERE'S CHARACTERS IN JITNEY THAT RELATE TO CHARACTERS IN HIS LATER WORK.

THAT FEELS LIKE THE 1980s, 1990s VERSION OF SAME TYPES OF PEOPLE, OR PEOPLE FROM THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A RELATIONSHIP IN HIS WORK, AND SEEING THE FULL CANON, YOU GET SUCH A DEPTH AND GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE THAT HE CAME ACROSS IN HIS LIFE.

>> ALL OF THE PLAYS IN THE CYCLE WERE WRITTEN ABOUT PITTSBURGH.

THERE'S ONLY ONE WRITTEN ABOUT ANOTHER CITY, THAT'S CHICAGO FROM MA RAINY'S BLACK BOTTOM.

ALL THE STORIES TELL THE STORY OF PEOPLE HE KNEW IN PITTSBURGH AND OF THE HILL DISTRICT IN PITTSBURGH.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, YOU REFERRED TO THIS, TALKING ABOUT GETTING THE PLAY ACROSS, BUT ALSO BRINGING IT OUT OF THE ACTORS.

CAN BE THAT A CHALLENGE AT TIMES?

>> ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEIR VIEW OF THE CHARACTER, YOUR VIEW OF THE CHARACTER, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE SCRIPT?

WHERE DO THEY MEET?

WHERE DO THEY MEET WITH THE CHARACTERS?

WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME SHOW TOGETHER.

THAT'S ALWAYS WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS, BUT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM OF WANTING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, SO THAT HELPS.

>> BUT THEY ALL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT EMOTIONAL CHORD THAT AUGUST WILSON WRITES SO WELL.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE MUSIC, AND THEY ALL HAVE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE IN AN ORCHESTRA.

IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOME DIRECTORS.

I THINK SHE'S BEING MODEST.

TED: BEFORE YOU GO, HOW IS THE BLACK THEATER TROUPE DOING.

WE HAD YOU SINCE COVID AND EVEN BEFORE.

HOW ARE YOU DOING NOW?

>> DOING VERY, VERY WELL.

VERY HAPPY THAT THE COMMUNITY STILL SUPPORTS US AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PLAYS AREN'T JUST BLACK PLAYS.

THEY'RE PLAYS THAT TALK ABOUT CULTURE AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

TED: DAVID HEMPHILL AND RACHEL FINLEY, THE DIRECTOR OF JITNEY.

BEST OF LUCK ON THE PERFORMANCES.

FEBRUARY 6, WHEN IT STARTS?

>> FEBRUARY 6, FRIDAY.

AND RUNS THROUGH THE 22nd.

TED: THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: THE PHOENIX WILLO DISTRICT HISTORIC HOME TOUR AND STREET FAIR IS NEXT WEEK.

IT OFFERS A CHANCE TO CHECK OUT HOMES THAT DATE TO THE 1920s WHEN WILLO WAS A NEW SUBURB OF PHOENIX.

COURTNEY IS THE WILLO HOME CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: THIS IS THE 37th ANNUAL TOUR HERE, HUH?

>> WHEN YOU SAID IT IS NEXT WEEK, OH, MY GOSH!

IT'S BEEN A YEAR IN THE MAKING.

NEXT WEEKEND.

37th ANNUAL WILLO HOME TOUR AND STREET FAIR.

TED: HOW MANY HOMES?

>> 12 STOPS, AND WE'LL HAVE THE HISTORIC FIRE STATION INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

TED: WHERE IS THE HISTORIC FIRE STATION?

>> ENCANTO AND 7th AVENUE, 541 WEST ENCANTO.

TED: CLOSER TO 7th AVENUE, THEN?

>> YES, RIGHT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOO.

TED: WHERE IS THE WILLO DISTRICT.

>> WE ARE IN BETWEEN McDOWELL AND THOMAS ON 7th AVENUE.

TED: YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO FIRST AVENUE DON'T YOU?

OR DO YOU GO TO THIRD?

>> WE GO TO THIRD.

WE HAVE GATES NOW ON 1st AVENUE, THERE ARE APARTMENTS AND RESTAURANTS.

WE USED TO, NOW WE GO UNTIL 3rd AVENUE ON THE EAST SIDE.

>> THE HISTORY OF WILLO IS HOMES BUILT IN 1920.

>> MOSTLY IN THE 20s, WE HAVE A FEW THAT ARE A LITTLE EARLIER THAN THE 1920s, MOSTLY 1920s AND 1940s.

WE HAVE HOMES ON TOUR THAT ARE ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD.

TED: WHAT KIND OF ARCHITECTURAL STYLES?

>> OH, THEY VARY.

WE HAVE TUDORS, SPANISH REVIVALS, GREEK REVIVALS, A GOOD STYLE OF HOMES.

TED: AND HOME TOUR, OBVIOUSLY, THE BIG ATTRACTION THERE, YOU GET TO GO INSIDE THE HOMES.

YOU ARE SEEING HERE, SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE REALLY NICE?

>> YEAH, OUR HOME OWNERS ARE VERY PRIDEFUL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THEIR HOMES.

THEY OPEN THEM UP FOR THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO COME THROUGH AND GET A WALKTHROUGH, SEE THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES AND ALL THE SPECIAL THINGS YOU DON'T SEE IN NEW HOMES THESE DAYS.

TED: THERE IS THE FIRE STATION.

>> THERE YOU GO.

TED: THE BONES OF THE HOMES ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS THEY ALWAYS WERE, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

A LOT OF THE HOMES HAVE THE ORIGINAL FOOTPRINT.

WE HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET WITH THE HOMES.

SOME WILL COMPLETELY REMODEL BUT THE OUTSIDE IS THE SAME.

TED: OKAY, HAVE YOU HAD PROBLEMS?

HAVE YOU HAD CONCERNS WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BLADE OR CLOSE TO BLADE OR RADICAL DIFFERENCES?

>> NOT REALLY.

PEOPLE THAT BUY IN WILLO WANT TO KEEP THE HISTORIC HOMES THE WAY THEY ARE.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO, AND THEY FOLLOW WHAT THE CITY SAYS AND FOLLOW PERMITTING AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION GETS INVOLVED, I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A REASON BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKE, WE CAN'T BUY THIS.

THERE'S NO NEW HOMES LIKE THIS ANYMORE.

TED: NO.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO OPEN THEIR HOMES FOR THE TOUR?

I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT PEOPLE TRAIPSING AROUND IN MY HOUSE.

>> YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS PEOPLE ARE LIKE WHAT'S IT REALLY LIKE?

AND THEY HEAR FEEDBACK, AND THEY'RE LIKE I COULD BE OPEN TO IT.

I WAS ON TOUR THREE YEARS AGO BEFORE I BECAME THE CO-CHAIR AND THAT MADE ME DRINK THE WILLO JUICE, I CALL IT.

IF YOU WANT TO BOOST YOU UP, PEOPLE ARE LIKE THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER, AND YOU'RE LIKE OKAY.

YOU GET SUCH GOOD FEEDBACK AND EVERYONE THAT BUYS A TICKET TO SEE YOUR HOME REALLY WANTS TO SEE YOUR HOME AND LOVES IT.

SO WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT PEOPLE GIVING YOU COMPLIMENTS ALL DAY.

TED: MAKES YOU FEEL GREAT ABOUT YOUR HOUSE.

>> YEAH!

>> YOU SAID BUY A TICKET, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> TICKETS ARE ON THE WEBSITE AND YOU CAN BUY DAY OF AT THE STREET FAIR.

THEY'RE ABOUT $30.

TED: OKAY.

>> AND CAN YOU BUY THEM IN ADVANCE TODAY OR IN PERSON, IF YOU WANT TO STOP ON BY, PEEL HAVE TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE.

>> THE BEST WAY TO EXPERIENCE IT WOULD BE -- FIRST OF ALL, WHERE DO YOU PARK?

>> WE HAVE A PARKING STRUCTURE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVE A MAP TO GUIDE YOUR WAY THROUGH.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK OR OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.

THERE'S A PARKING GARAGE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN BIKE, WE'RE A BIKE FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAVE TROLLEYS RUNNING ALL DAY TO THE HOMES.

WE RECOMMEND YOU STOP AT THE STREET FAIR, GET A BROCHURE, GET FOOD, COFFEE, WE HAVE 140 VENDORS, ALL LOCAL ARIZONA.

LOCAL MAKERS, LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS, LOCAL VENDORS.

WE SUPPORT REALLY MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC SUPPORT FOR LOCAL MAKERS AND ENTREPRENEURS IN THE PHOENIX AREA.

TED: AND I GOT TO ASK.

SOME OF THE HOMES ARE ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

I WENT TO A WILLO STREET FAIR, AND A COUPLE OF HOMES WERE FOR SALE.

DO THEY PUT HOMES FOR SALE?

>> WE HAVE A FEW FOR SALE.

THIS YEAR THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO, MIGHT BE SOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IF YOU ARE LIKE THIS IS THE BEST NEIGHBORHOOD EVER, YOU CAN GO SEE SOME THAT ARE FOR SALE SO YOU CAN BE MY NEIGHBOR.

TED: AS FAR AS OPEN HOUSE IS CONCERNED, YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT FOR AN OPEN HOUSE.

>> YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORT IT.

WE REALLY DO.

AS A HOME OWNER, WE HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT NEED TO MOVE BACK TO SUPPORT FAMILY.

OPEN UP YOUR HOUSE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR HOME TOUR AND EVERYONE COMING THROUGH.

TED: FEBRUARY 15, STREET FAIR STARTS AT 9:00 A.M.

AND THE TOUR AT 10:00 A.M.

AND GOOD LUCK FELLA, RIGHT?

>> COME ON BY.

TED: GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: YOU BET.

THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.