TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Braving the rain, over a hundred people packed into The Donna R. Liggins Center Wednesday evening, a few holding signs opposing or supporting STAR Village moving into their neighborhood. Most neighbors saying they just wanted to be heard.
STAR Village is a low-barrier, transitional outdoor sleep area designed to provide a safe place to sleep for 25 unhoused women or non-binary adults.
Since Tucson leaders announced the pilot project in August, a group of neighbors in Ward 3 have spoken out against the transitional encampment, with some saying the city never informed them that it would be in their neighborhood.
Nearby business owners created a petition against STAR Village saying they're "deeply concerned about the city's plan."
"We have worked tirelessly to clean up and revitalize our community, transforming it into a welcoming and safe environment for residents, businesses, and visitors alike," the petition reads. "The establishment of a legal campsite could undo much of this progress and bring about a host of new challenges."
That petition garnered over 800 signatures by Sept. 17 and inspired another petition by neighbors in support of the pilot program which sits at over 300 signatures.
That petition argues that STAR Village will increase neighborhood safety, saying it's "just one small piece in the puzzle of housing solutions. In the current landscape, the solutions to lift people off the street are sadly inadequate."
The first residents are expected to move into STAR Village in October.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
