The Sedona City Council has opted to support a program the city proposed late last year that provided locally employed residents a safe place to park if they couldn’t afford to live there.

The city’s housing department presented its plan to the city council this week.

Housing director Shannon Boone laid out the proposal. "This isn’t a solution to affordable housing. It’s a supplement. It’s one piece on the continuum of housing that goes from homelessness to homeownership," she said.

The program will host up to 40 vehicles at a local park that will provide a safe harbor for those attending school or working in Sedona who can’t afford to live there. Tents aren’t allowed, and there’s no RV hookups provided. It’s designed for night time hours only and remote workers can’t use the sites. 

The city expects the program will cost about $600,000 to start. The Arizona Department of Housing has provided the city with $875,000 in a two year grant to operate the program.