SOUTH TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Residents attended South Tucson’s city council meeting on Tuesday to voice concerns about future transportation routes leading to gentrification.
“We don’t benefit. How do we benefit?” said one resident.
The Norte-Sur project is funded federally by the Federal Transit Administration. This project has plans to add a bus rapid transit route from South Tucson to the Tucson International Airport.
“Our feeling, and it's borne out by numerous national studies is that when transit projects happen, lots of times they cause gentrification,” said Brian Flagg, a resident of South Tucson for 40 years and now a South Tucson Councilman.
“The streetcar here is a is a total example of how transit projects make for gentrification. Our point is that if the city's going to do this, they need to build large amounts of housing that poor people can afford, like where the bus stops are-- or don't run it through our town,” said Flagg.
South Tucson residents voiced that housing concerns and affordability should be at the top of the city’s priorities rather than transportation.
“I'm against it. I think there's other important issues like affordable housing for low income and for the future for our children,” said Mario Haro, a South Tucson resident.
City of Tucson officials presented their current plan for Norte-Sur as well as talk about current affordable housing options the city is working on.
“The funding, FTA is very specific to that, but there's other funding out there that can help us determine how to do more affordable housing,” said Liz Morales, Tucson’s Housing and Community Development Director.
“It's not how do we get that money to go towards affordable housing, that funding can't go to affordable housing, has to go to transit, but there are other funding sources that we can look at and how do we partner,” she added.
“Gentrification is all around the city of South Tucson, it’s there. There’s no place that they can be pushed out of. People are complaining about the homeless, who are the homeless? Families. Seniors,” said a resident at the city council meeting.
The conversation about what’s next for South Tucson continues.
“Put funding on home ownerships. That's my push. That's why I'm here. I'm going to fight it until the end,” said Haro.
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Faith Abercrombie is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before coming to KGUN, Faith worked as a videographer for the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation and as a reporter and producer on the youth suicide documentary, "Life is..." on Arizona PBS.
Share your story ideas with Faith by emailing faith.abercrombie@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
