Developers in Buckeye, AZ, are eyeing a plan to build hundreds of affordable housing units in the city, but they say there’s just one problem: longtime local Councilman Tony Youngker.
Youngker’s family homestead is sitting on a plot of land smack in the middle of the proposed 375-unit project, and its developer, Dominium, says Youngker is asking an outrageous sum for the property: $5 million.
Mark Lambing, vice president and project partner at Dominium, told the local NBC affiliate, KPNX-TV, that Dominium needs about 30 feet of Youngker’s land to create a right-of-way into the development.
“The city has a right to that land per a development agreement for free, but they’ve refused to exercise that right,” he said.
Rather than negotiate a deal for the small sliver of land, Youngker has allegedly demanded the developer purchase his entire property for the $5 million sum.
Youngker’s homestead, which sits on 2.25 acres, has a Realtor.com® estimated value of $587,524—though Dominium appraised the property at around $650,000—about 13% of Youngker’s alleged $5 million asking price.
Lambing says he’s willing to negotiate but believes that $5 million is an outrageous leap.
Complicating the scenario, Youngker has retained another City Council member, attorney Patrick HagEstad, to represent him in the dispute.
“It just really makes you question how neutral and fair this whole process is,” Lambing told KPNX.
Though both Youngker and his lawyer sit on the City Council, the city of Buckeye has said that it considers the dispute a private matter.
“The City of Buckeye is committed to working with developers and landowners to support responsible growth in our community. This is a private party land discussion that does not include the city, and it respects the rights of both parties,” the city said in a statement.
According to Lambing, the company has already lost more than $11 million due to delays caused by Youngker and is considering a lawsuit against the city for failing to intervene.
Youngker’s stall appears to have delayed hundreds of below-market-value homes from being built, which is concerning, given that Buckeye and its surrounding towns are seeing an influx of new residents and facing a severe housing shortage.
Realtor.com reached out to both Lambing and Youngker for comment but did not receive a response.
Julie Gerstein is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia. She previously worked at Business Insider as an executive editor covering news, entertainment, and digital culture, and was the company’s founding Singapore bureau chief. She was also a senior editor at BuzzFeed, covering lifestyle, fashion, and beauty. She earned a B.A. in women’s studies from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in media and cultural studies from the University of Sussex.
