On May 10, 1976, Phil Bell started a small multifamily real estate company focused on superior property management and quality apartment homes. Today, P.B. Bell celebrates 50 years of making lives and places better through multifamily development, acquisitions, and third-party management.  During the past half-century, the team has developed or acquired over 11,500 units, managed over 55,000 units throughout Arizona, employed thousands of people, and supported numerous local charities.

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“We started small and ended up growing into a sizable company comprised of a group of skilled people who are dedicated to the industry,” said Phil Bell. “At P.B. Bell we ensure everything is done in a quality way, and our team has always been committed to doing so.”

For 50 years, P.B. Bell has put people first; its residents, its vendors, its employees, and the people of the community are the driving force behind everything P.B. Bell has accomplished. 

“I’m just proud of the people,” said Chapin Bell, chairman of P.B. Bell. “I think that we’ve created a great organization, and it’s because of the people.”

In honor of P.B. Bell’s contributions to the fabric of multifamily development across Arizona, the City of Scottsdale has proclaimed May 10, 2026 “P.B. Bell Day.” Throughout 2026, P.B. Bell is taking its community giving to the next level through a company-wide initiative: “50 Ways We Show We Care.” This includes resident events, financial contributions to local charities, and volunteer hours throughout the year.

As the first person outside the Bell family to hold the title of CEO, Justin Steltenpohl immediately focused on continuity of character as his north star. “The most important thing I can do is make sure employees, residents, clients, investors, and the community as a whole are comfortable with the fact that P.B. Bell is still the same P.B. Bell they’ve always known,” he says. “That’s my number one priority.”

As P.B. Bell celebrates its 50th Anniversary, it is keeping an eye on tomorrow and identifying ways to use new technologies and applications to further enhance people’s lives, make communities better, and provide places its residents are proud to call home.  While it was Phil Bell’s vision that created P.B. Bell, it is his legacy of quality, integrity and putting people first that will carry it forward for the next 50 years and beyond.

For more information on P.B. Bell, visit pbbell.com.