TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson leaders say partnerships with nonprofit organizations, developers and government agencies will be critical as the city works to address a growing affordable housing shortage driven by population growth and rising housing costs.
At a media briefing attended by Mayor Regina Romero, Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz and housing officials, city leaders said Tucson is projected to need at least 35,000 housing units, many of those affordable units, over the next decade to meet demand.
Liz Morales, Tucson’s assistant city manager, said the city’s network of nonprofit organizations has become a key part of its housing strategy.
“We are very organized in this community around our non-profit community, especially when it comes to homelessness and housing,” Morales said.
Romero said affordable housing became a larger focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, when housing insecurity and rental costs increased nationwide.
“We have prioritized affordable housing, and it really started during the pandemic years,” Romero said.
The city has expanded several initiatives in recent years through its Housing Affordability Strategy for Tucson, known as HAST, which outlines policies aimed at preserving and constructing affordable housing units. According to the city’s Housing and Community Development Department, Tucson has invested in gap financing programs, down payment assistance and redevelopment partnerships to encourage construction of affordable units.
Santa Cruz pointed to the recent opening of Desert Dove, an affordable housing project developed through partnerships involving nonprofit groups, developers and low-income housing tax credit funding.
“For example we just had the desert dove opening — grand opening — and that was between Desert Dove Church, GHK Developers, who went after LIHTC funding,” Santa Cruz said.
Recent city-backed projects include the redevelopment of Tucson House and the groundbreaking of Amazon Flats and Sugar Hill on Stone, which together will add hundreds of affordable units in coming years.
Ann Chanecka, director of Tucson Housing and Community Development, said solving the housing shortage will require cooperation across sectors.
“We definitely need to rely on a lot of other people, not just the city, and bring on a lot of market rate units as well,” Chanecka said.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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