Arizona Business Leader Blaine Tanner Discusses the Importance of Affordable Workforce Housing in Growing Communities

Arizona entrepreneur and business executive Blaine Tanner built his career by seeing what was missing and then building toward it. In manufacturing, that meant scaling a plastics company from a modest operation into a $25 million enterprise. In sustainable materials, it meant helping bring innovation into an industry under pressure to evolve. In structured finance, […]

Arizona entrepreneur and business executive Blaine Tanner built his career by seeing what was missing and then building toward it.

In manufacturing, that meant scaling a plastics company from a modest operation into a $25 million enterprise. In sustainable materials, it meant helping bring innovation into an industry under pressure to evolve. In structured finance, it meant taking complex assets and finding a disciplined path to market.

Now, Tanner is focused on something more personal, more visible and, for Northern Arizona, increasingly urgent: housing for the people who keep communities running.

On 47 acres near Sedona, just off Interstate 17 at the first exit south of the city, Tanner is planning a workforce housing community with more than 300 units for people who serve Sedona, Flagstaff, the Verde Valley and the surrounding region. The development is expected to include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units in an upscale, thoughtfully planned setting, giving service workers and other essential employees a quality place to live closer to where they work.

Tanner does not see the project as growth for growth’s sake. He sees it as a practical answer to a problem already reshaping Northern Arizona. The development is expected to move toward approval within the next six months, a timeline that reflects both the urgency of the need and the momentum behind the project.

“The inspiration for this project came from seeing firsthand how difficult it has become for working individuals and families to live in the communities they serve,” Tanner shared in a recent interview about his life and career. “Sedona and the surrounding Verde Valley rely heavily on teachers, healthcare workers, hospitality employees, first responders, tradespeople and small business staff, yet many of these essential workers are being priced out of the market.”

That reality is no longer a side issue for high-growth communities. It is becoming one of the central questions of their future.

Sedona’s restaurants, hotels, medical offices, schools, shops and service businesses all depend on workers who increasingly struggle to afford housing nearby. As those workers are pushed farther from the communities they serve, the local economy becomes more fragile. Commutes get longer, employers have a harder time hiring and retaining staff, and families lose the stability that comes from living close to work, school and community.

Blaine Tanner Arizona believes that gap is where responsible development has to step in.

“We recognized a growing disconnect between the region’s economic growth and the availability of attainable housing for the workforce that keeps these communities running every day,” Tanner said. “This project is about creating long-term solutions that allow people to live closer to where they work, reduce long commutes and build stronger roots within the community.”

Blaine Tanner Arizona Views Workforce Housing As Part Of The Region’s Economic Infrastructure

The impact of Blaine Tanner’s proposed development begins with a practical reality: workers need to live close enough to the jobs that depend on them.

By creating attainable housing near major employment centers, the project is designed to give local workers more stability, shorter commutes and a better quality of life. That stability matters not only to employees, but also to the businesses trying to keep their doors open, their teams staffed and their service consistent.

“This development is designed to create meaningful economic and community impact across the region,” Tanner said. “By providing attainable housing opportunities closer to employment centers, local workers will have greater stability, reduced commuting times and an improved quality of life.”

Employers across Sedona, Flagstaff and the Verde Valley are facing the same pressure. Housing availability has become one of the biggest barriers to hiring and keeping qualified employees. When workers are forced to live farther away, businesses absorb the cost through turnover, staffing shortages and daily uncertainty.

That is why Tanner views workforce housing as part of the region’s economic infrastructure. When workers can live locally, they spend locally, participate more consistently in community life and build deeper roots in the region.

“When workers can live locally, they contribute more consistently to the surrounding economy through local spending, community involvement and long-term residency,” Tanner said. “This type of development helps create healthier, more resilient communities while supporting responsible regional growth for years to come.”

A Development Built for Dignity, Not Just Density

Blaine Tanner is clear about what he does not want the project to become.

He is not interested in building housing that feels temporary, stripped down or disconnected from the character of Northern Arizona. His vision is to create a high-quality community where working people and families can live with dignity, pride and a sense of belonging.

“Our goal is to create a community that offers both quality of life and long-term livability for residents,” Tanner said. “The project is being designed with thoughtfully integrated amenities that encourage connection, wellness and convenience while complementing the natural beauty of the surrounding area.”

The proposed development is being designed with open green spaces, walking paths, recreational areas, gathering spaces and family-friendly amenities. The plan also includes practical features such as efficient infrastructure, ample parking, accessibility and proximity to jobs and everyday services.

That balance matters to Tanner. In his view, workforce housing should solve an affordability problem without creating a quality problem.

“Most importantly, we want residents to feel pride in where they live,” Tanner said. “Workforce housing should not feel temporary or overlooked. It should offer a safe, attractive and well-maintained environment where individuals and families can truly build their lives.”

Blaine Tanner Arizona: “Successful Development Is Ultimately About People”

Blaine Tanner’s interest in workforce housing is not the first time he has stepped into a complicated market and looked for a disciplined solution.

His career began in Canada’s plastics manufacturing industry after he chose business over a possible path in professional hockey. Starting with a small manufacturing company, Tanner quickly moved into executive leadership and helped guide the organization through a successful acquisition by Menasha Corp. while retaining an ownership stake.

Building on that experience, he later launched his own plastics manufacturing company and scaled it from a modest operation generating roughly $500,000 annually into a $25 million enterprise over the course of a decade. After selling the business, Tanner continued pursuing new ventures, showing a consistent ability to identify growth opportunities and create value in changing markets.

Tanner later founded and managed an investment fund focused on acquiring and enhancing long-term lease assets. Through strategic credit enhancement and packaging, he brought those assets to Wall Street markets, eventually specializing in structured financial projects.

Now retired, Tanner lives a more balanced life centered around family, personal growth and giving back to the community. A third-degree black belt in Taekwondo, he brings that same discipline and passion to everything he touches.

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is that successful development is ultimately about people and long-term community impact,” Tanner said. “Large-scale projects require more than vision. They require patience, collaboration, transparency and the ability to bring together experienced professionals who share a common goal.”

Responsible Growth in Northern Arizona

Blaine Tanner does not see growth as something communities can simply stop. The question, he said, is whether they plan for it responsibly.

In Northern Arizona, that means thinking beyond rooftops and roads to traffic, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, accessibility and the long-term health of the local economy.

“Responsible development means creating projects that contribute positively to the long-term health of a community, economically, socially and environmentally,” Tanner said. “It requires thoughtful planning, respect for the surrounding area and a commitment to building something that serves both current and future generations.”

That mindset is guiding his proposed workforce housing community near Sedona, where the goal is to meet a critical need while preserving the character of Northern Arizona.

After decades spent building companies and navigating complex industries, Tanner is now focused on a challenge with lasting community impact. To him, the stakes are clear: communities cannot thrive if the people who serve them are pushed farther away.

“Ultimately, thriving communities depend on having teachers, healthcare workers, hospitality employees, tradespeople, and service professionals who can afford to live where they work,” Blaine Tanner explained. “We hope this development helps preserve that balance and contributes to a stronger, more resilient future for the Verde Valley for many years to come.”