Coffee shop committed / P. 24
Lawmaker gets revenge/ P. 17
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
NEWS ................................ 6 Housing crunch pushes Valley boundaries.
NEIGHBORS ............. 18 Author completes massive wine guide.
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF SCOTTSDALE) | scottsdale.org
Sunday, February 21, 2021
SUSD return New year prep plan concerns kids, teachers BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor
S
cottsdale middle and high school students could return to full-day in-class learning after spring break next month but the plan has drawn criticism from some students and teachers. Scottsdale Unified recently announced plans to begin full-day in-person learning at Mountainside Middle School tomorrow, Feb. 22, with the intent of expanding that schedule to all middle and high schools when stu-
see SUSD page 4
Like everything else since the pandemic began, the Persian New Year Festival n Scottsdale will be different, but organizers, including, from left, Poupak Tabakkoli, Mahsa Page and Nicky Hedayatzadeh have some surprises. See Page 23. (Pablo Robles)
City supports imperiled rental bill
BUSINESS ..................20 Scottsdale Realtor a billion-dollar man.
NEIGHBORS ..........................................18 BUSINESS ..............................................20 ARTS ........................................................ 23 FOOD ....................................................... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................25
BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor
R
ep. John Kavanagh’s attempt to reign in short-term rentals has won the support of Scottsdale officials but could struggle with his Republican colleagues due to a competing bill supported by the rental industry.
Andrew Bloom REALTOR®, Senior Partner Andrew@BVOLuxury.com VOTED #1 SCOTTSDALE REAL ESTATE TEAM FOR 2018
Kavanagh’s bill would return some power to cities and towns that was lost in 2016 when a new state law banned them from regulating short-term rentals. If passed, HB 2481 would allow cities to create zoning restrictions to limit or even eliminate most short-term rentals, though he said the bill would not affect owneroccupied properties that rent out a room
or backyard guest house. Scottsdale is home to at least 4,000 active short-term rental properties, according to Air DNA, a market research firm. The properties have long drawn the ire of some residents, who complain that they attract partiers and lead to noise and trash
see RENTAL page 8
(480) 999-2948 www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com