City Manager Fires Housing Chief Shannon Boone in Major Shake-Up

Sedona recently terminated Housing Manager Shannon Boone, whose last working day was July 3, according to the city’s official communication. The termination was attributed to Boone’s failure to meet the city’s professionalism standards as specified in the personnel policy manual, stated Sedona Communications Manager Lauren Brown.

Boone began her role in September 2021 under a joint initiative with the city of Cottonwood to spearhead affordable and workforce housing efforts. However, her position in Cottonwood was eliminated from the fiscal year 2025 budget, which recently led to the termination of her contract with the neighboring city.

During Boone’s tenure, the city saw no new affordable housing projects reach completion. The 42-unit Sunset Lofts project has stagnated since its initiation in July 2021, with the site reverting back to the city due to failure on the developer’s part. Another project, the 30-unit Villas on Shelby—which was set to begin construction this spring following an agreement in December 2023—has similarly faced delays.

Compounding these challenges, Boone faced backlash for controversial comments about residents opposing her proposal for a car camp for homeless workers on part of the Sedona Cultural Park. In June, public records revealed Boone had referred to the opposing residents as “short-sighted selfish bullies” and expressed frustration that her hands were tied due to the referendum process. She had even urged supporters to prevent referendum organizer William Noonan from collecting the required 500 signatures.

This led Noonan to lodge a complaint with the city attorney, alleging Boone’s misuse of city resources to influence the election process. Addressing the situation, City Manager Anette Spickard publicly apologized for Boone’s unprofessional conduct, making it clear such behavior would not be tolerated.

Following Boone’s termination, the city advertised the housing manager’s role on July 18. The salary range for the position is set between $90,272 and $130,187, reflecting Boone’s previous salary of $104,499. The job requirements include a bachelor’s degree in relevant fields like land use, planning, public administration, or sustainability, alongside a minimum of five years’ experience in housing development and management, although experience in architecture or construction is not a necessity.