Good morning, Tempe. ASU is quiet for the summer, but city hall isn't: a housing decision is back in front of council this week.
- 🏢 Council delays a Tempe apartment project, again. The vote slides to a future meeting as typical rents tick down to about $1,660.
- 🚧 Lower speed limits are now posted around Tempe. Several areas dropped, and the city published the list.
- 🥟 A globally inspired egg roll restaurant opens in Tempe. The new spot debuted this month.
- 📚 Tempe Public Library runs a full slate Tuesday. Literacy playgroups, a space party, LEGO engineering, and a book club on Broadway.
- 🎓 From the schools. The EVIT funding standoff continues, and a new study flags missing AI training for teachers.
- 🏀 Around the Valley. The Aces visit the Mercury, and three Canadian indie bands share one downtown stage.
Housing: another delay, softer rents
Tempe's city council again put off a vote on a proposed apartment project, the second time the decision has been pushed.
Key facts:
The apartment vote was delayed to a future council meeting.
The deciding body: Mayor Corey Woods, plus council members Berdetta Hodge, Doreen Garlid, Anthony Vitale, Nikki Amberg, and Randy Keating.
Typical rent in Tempe is about $1,660 a month, down 2% over the past year.
New apartment supply is one of the few levers Tempe has on rents. The city is the densest and youngest in the East Valley, boxed in by freeways on all four sides, so there's little room to grow outward. With ASU driving steady rental demand, infill apartment projects are most of the supply story, which is why a second delay on one of them matters.
For now, the rent picture is easing on its own. The typical asking rent has slipped to around $1,660, down 2% from a year ago. Full project specifics stay limited until the item returns to a published agenda.
Expect it back on a coming council agenda. The Tempe Tribune is following it. Details.
Around Tempe
🚧 New, lower speed limits. The city reduced speed limits in several areas of Tempe. Worth a look before a familiar commute turns into a ticket. The Tempe Independent has the list of affected areas. Details.
🥟 A new egg roll spot. A restaurant built around a globally inspired egg roll menu opened in Tempe this month. AZFamily has the rundown. Details.
The week ahead
Most of the early-week action is at the Tempe Public Library on Tuesday, June 16:
- 📖 Raising a Reader. A free 8-week literacy playgroup for kids 0 to 5, with books, music, and snacks. 10 AM, registration required. Details.
- 🚀 Totally Tempe Tuesdays: Intergalactic Adventure. Space crafts and a librarian rocket race for ages 6 to 11. 2 PM. Details.
- 🧱 Level Up LEGO. LEGO engineering and computer science for teens. 4 PM. Details.
- 📚 Bite Size Book Club. A short-story club at Mill's Modern Social, 83 East Broadway Road. 5 PM. Details.
🎲 Party Games at Rekreation Games. Telestrations, Just One, Taboo, and other party games, Wednesday at 5:30 PM. Snacks on hand, bring your own games. Details.
From the schools
📐 EVIT fight stays unresolved. The standoff between the East Valley Institute of Technology (the regional career and technical school many East Valley high schoolers attend, Tempe Union students included) and its member districts is not close to a resolution, the Tribune reports. For families counting on EVIT programs, the dispute is worth tracking. Details.
💻 Teachers and AI. A new study finds K-12 teachers are often left without training on generative AI, even as districts like the Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD) weigh how it belongs in the classroom. Details.
Around the Valley
A few picks worth leaving Tempe for this week. All are a short drive into Phoenix.
⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Angels. Tonight, June 15, 6:40 PM at Chase Field. A cheap midweek night at the ballpark. Tickets.
🎶 Searows. The indie songwriter plays the Crescent Ballroom on Tuesday, June 16, 8 PM. A good room for a quiet set. Tickets.
🏀 Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces. Wednesday, June 17, 7 PM at the Mortgage Matchup Center. The Aces are one of the toughest tickets in the league. Tickets.
🎸 Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Stars. Three Canadian indie mainstays on one bill, Wednesday, June 17, 7 PM at Arizona Financial Theatre. An unusual co-bill. Tickets.