TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The city of Tucson is ramping up outreach efforts at 100-Acre Wood ahead of construction for a long-anticipated bike park, but dozens of people experiencing homelessness still call the area home.
Tucson Parks and Recreation plans to build a BMX bike park with "trek trails" for walkers and bikers at the site. Construction is scheduled to begin in December and finish by spring next year, but the city says the space needs to be cleared by mid-November for "pre-construction work."
However, people are still living at what has become Tucson's largest homeless encampment. For the past few months, organizations in Tucson have been working to get those people into housing.
Since July 7, city, county and nonprofit workers have set up at 100-Acre Wood every single morning for months on end.
"Showing up when you say you're going to show up is really important. Showing up and saying 'I'm going to be here at 7:00 in the morning, I'm going to be here at 6:00 in the morning and then actually being there," said Elaine MacPherson with the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness.
To MacPherson, rebuilding trust is the first step to eventually finding housing.
"Everyone talks about people being service resistant but that's not the case, services are people resistant," she said. "If someone doesn't want housing right now and they want something else, get them the other thing they want and then maybe they'll reconsider the housing later on. If it's medical care, if it's getting their ID, if it's getting them access to food."
The group of outreach workers represent wrap-around services across Tucson. Non-government groups like Community Medical Services, Hope Arizona and Old Pueblo Community Services sit side-by-side with city and county housing and justice resources.
Now, nearly two years into a $7.8 million specific encampment grant from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development, the outreach team at 100-Acre Wood offers various services. City vans take groups to quash warrants, apply for documents or attend court hearings, while other organizations offer food, water, Narcan and advice.
Workers say they're watching the same people show up day after day and are hoping a single chain reaction will trigger a change in the community.
Since the outreach began at the camp, about 100 people have accepted services, according to the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness. The organization got 72 people on a list for priority housing, and half of those people have been placed in housing. Additionally, 27 people entered drug treatment programs at Community Medical Services.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
——
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.
