PHOENIX (AZFamily) — An Arizona lawmaker is proposing a new bill that would curb big investment firms and corporate landlords from buying up a large number of single-family homes in the state.
State Rep. Nick Kupper, a Republican from Surprise, introduced House Bill 2325, dubbed the “Own Something and Be Happy Act,” which would limit corporate ownership of houses and stop bulk buying.
The proposal would also bar institutional investors from bidding on homes during the first 60 days that the properties are put up for auction. Kupper said it’s part of giving Arizonans a fair shot at owning a home.
“President Trump is right to call this out,” Kupper said. “Homeownership has long been central to the American Dream and the reward for hard work. When large investment firms buy up neighborhoods, families lose and prices climb. HB 2325 puts Arizona on the side of working people who want to own a home, raise a family, and stay rooted where they live.”
Trump has been tapping into long-standing fears that corporate ownership of homes has pushed out traditional buyers, forcing more people to rent, and he said last week he wanted to block large institutional investors from buying houses.
“People live in homes, not corporations,” Trump said in a social media post on Jan. 7 as he called on Congress to codify his ban.
Specifically, HB 2325 would limit big investors to owning no more than 50 homes in Arizona. It exempts affordable housing providers, government housing agencies, and small property owners or community land trusts.
“Housing costs have climbed nationwide as institutional investors expanded their residential footprint, while homeownership rates for younger Americans have stalled,” Kupper said. “In Arizona, population growth and limited housing supply have intensified the squeeze on first-time buyers. This bill draws a clear line. Arizona homes should be owned by Arizona families, not treated like financial instruments by distant corporations.”
According to real estate firm ATTOM, institutional investors bought nearly 7% of homes sold in the first quarter of 2025, Axios reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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