TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For Alicia Ruiz, addiction was more than just a struggle. It was the reason she spent years living on the streets of Tucson.
“People just don't wake up one day and be like, oh, I'm gonna be a drug addict. No, they're substituting to cover up the pain instead of people seeing like why they're suffering.”
Ruiz says she didn’t realize help was just around the corner until she connected with Compass Affordable Housing, an organization that supports individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
“They gave me the foundation to start,” she explains, “All I could see is a new beginning.”
Unlike a traditional housing complex, Compass doesn’t own property. Instead, they receive referrals from Pima County, the City of Tucson, and other local organizations. From there, they help match people with available apartment units and provide ongoing support to help them stay housed.
“Those who are experiencing homelessness, they can either be on the streets or they can be in shelters, but then when they come to us, we work with their apartment complex property managers to make sure they get housed,” said Tony Simms, CEO of Compass Affordable Housing.
But the organization doesn’t stop at housing. They also help connect people with job opportunities, health services, and financial support.
“Whether it's health related, mental health related or financially related, we want to make sure that as people are, you know, moving out of the sense of homelessness into increasing their human development,” Simms says.
For Ruiz, that support made all the difference. “When you don't have support, that's what keeps people addicts,” she explains.
Today, Ruiz is in recovery, living in her own apartment, and watching her children grow up in a safe and stable environment, something she says wouldn’t have been possible without Compass.
“It’s really a new beginning for me and my family,” she says.
Both Ruiz and Simms highlighted the importance of education as well.
Simms explains, “I think if we're going to decrease the amount of homelessness we have to first start with improving not simply the education system itself, but how we approach it with families, nonprofits, businesses, how are we working together to support our kids in school.”
“If you have education, knowledge is everything,” Ruiz explains, “Knowledge is just something nobody can ever take from you.”
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
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