TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson's first city-sanctioned temporary tent shelter is halfway through its pilot year.
Six months ago, a handful of women who had previously been sleeping on the streets moved into STAR Village in Midtown Tucson.
Since that first week in October, 82 people have passed through STAR Village's covered gates, according to Primavera, one of the two nonprofits partnered with the city on the project.
So far, 11 people have completed programming at STAR. Three of those people went into temporary shelters, with 8 found permanent housing.
Ward 3 Council member Kevin Dahl—who oversees the area where STAR is located—says he sees the pilot as a success.
“From what I’ve seen in the last six months," he said. "It’s just working great, in contrast to the many concerns that were expressed.”
Those concerns were on full display last year when around 100 people packed into the small community room of the Donna R. Liggins Recreation Center.
Some of those people were in support of the program, while others carried signs sharing concerns about crime and neighborhood safety surrounding the new temporary shelter.
Dahl says he hasn't heard those concerns in the past month.
“We heard those concerns, and it’s been organized to address those concerns, and it’s operating great," he said.
City officials say the STAR model was taken from existing temporary shelters in Phoenix and New Mexico.
The site aims to provide young women—often the most vulnerable on the streets—with a safe place to sleep in individual covered tents and basic facilities like food, water, bathrooms and showers. A rotating group of city and nonprofit services offering employment, medical, addiction, or social service help visits those staying in the facility.
“This is an important piece of the puzzle: in bringing people who are the most vulnerable—living on the streets, living day to day— back to their real lives," Dahl said.
Addressing the concerns of safety originally brought by constituents, Dahl says STAR could make the neighborhood safer for STAR residents and outside neighbors.
“These are areas where we know vulnerable people can be preyed upon," he said. "The police are aware of that and pay special attention to those areas, as they have with STAR Village.”
Tucson Police Department data shows that Ward 3 held 22.36% of the crimes TPD responded to last year. In the first few months of 2026, that percentage has shrunk slightly to 20.63%.
STAR is a pilot program, so the temporary tent shelter is scheduled to stay up for another six months.
When the year is over, City of Tucson leaders and STAR Village partners will reevaluate its success.
“If this is a successful project," Dahl said. "I know some of my colleagues would like to see this in their Wards as well.”
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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.
