Frisco is set to add just over 100 deed-restricted rental units for its essential workers, a number dwarfed by the thousands of market-rate and luxury apartments also under construction across the town. Despite specific initiatives to provide affordable housing, the overwhelming majority of new units are market-rate or luxury, leaving the core affordability crisis unaddressed for many local workers. The overall housing landscape in Frisco is likely to remain challenging as market forces drive development towards higher price points.
What are Frisco's latest workforce housing initiatives?
- Frisco has two major workforce housing projects at 602 Galena St. and 101 W. Main St. that will add over 100 deed-restricted rental units, according to SummitDaily.
- The 602 Galena St. development is a 54-unit rental property. It targets middle-income residents earning 80%-100% of Summit County's area median income. Residents must work at least 30 hours a week in Summit County.
- The 101 W. Main St. development is expected to include roughly 52 affordable apartments. These units target lower-income renters earning 30%-80% area median income.
These projects offer a direct, though limited, lifeline for Frisco's local workforce across various income levels.
What new luxury developments are in Frisco?
Meanwhile, Frisco's landscape is transforming with a surge of luxury developments. The Gallery and The View will add 63 multifamily units, while Alexan Frisco plans 355 units across eight buildings. Freemont Frisco Apartments, a 313-unit mid-rise complex, expects to open by mid-2028, alongside the massive 520,736 square foot Jefferson Railhead luxury development, according to tacostreetlocating. These projects, often backed by significant financing, swell Frisco's housing stock but cater almost exclusively to higher income brackets, doing little to ease the workforce housing crisis.
This imbalance means Frisco's dedicated efforts are being outpaced. For every one deed-restricted unit, roughly ten market-rate or luxury units are being added, guaranteeing essential workers will continue to be priced out. This creates a two-tiered society, where only the wealthy can afford to live in town, forcing its workforce into distant areas and straining local services and community cohesion. The strategy also leaves a significant portion of the working population, particularly those just above the 100% Area Median Income (AMI) threshold, without any affordability initiatives.
How will Frisco's housing market change?
The sheer scale of market-rate and luxury development suggests Frisco's affordability challenges will persist, making the town increasingly inaccessible for its workforce. By mid-2028, when projects like Freemont Frisco Apartments open, lower and middle-income workers will likely face an even more severe shortage of truly affordable housing options.
