News and Updates
Ward 3 Neighborhood Association/Coalition Meetings
Ward 3 Events
City Wide Events
Did You Know?

City of Tucson Budget - Supplemental Requests 

Although we recently approved the City’s base budget for the fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 through June 2023), Mayor and Council have begun discussions on Supplemental Budget requests submitted by each of our city departments. Our revenue side is strong this year, largely due to federal funding and an improving local economy.  

The supplementals are divided into one-year programs, on-going commitments (new job positions), and investments (such as repairing pools).  

I have been focusing on Parks and Recreation (making sure all our pools get much needed repairs and upgrades and are fully open next summer) and needed staff in Planning and Development Services (a shortage of inspectors and landscape architects was one reason the City was not enforcing its Commercial Water Harvesting Ordinance). Mayor and Council, by the way, already committed to increases in Public Safety in support of the road repair sales tax that voters approved earlier this year.  

The City Manager has vetted all requests from each department and has provided Mayor and Council with his recommendations. You can access the City Manager’s memo here. This discussion will continue through our next Mayor and Council Study Session on Tuesday, August 23rd. 

By the way, Study Sessions, like our Regular Sessions, are now open to public at City Hall. You can also view them on YouTube via the city website by clicking “Mayor and Council Meeting Live” on the left-hand side of this page:
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/city-government

-Kevin

Water Harvester: An Invitation to Abundance by Katie Bolger

As the water level keeps dropping in Lake Mead (and the body count keeps rising), water security for the Southwestern region of our country is looking pretty grim.

Regular readers of the Ward 3 newsletter know that we are big fans of rainwater/ stormwater harvesting - the only supply of water that is delivered free of charge with no expensive treatment, infrastructure, or pumping costs. (CAP is the largest user of electricity in Arizona.)

This summer, a reporter and producer from Arizona Public Media named David Fenster created a short documentary on Brad Lancaster, Tucson’s water harvesting guru. Brad's message of abundance is hopeful and necessary. If you need a break from the depressing news cycle, or want to learn more about Brad and get inspired to build a basin or two in your own backyard, check out the video here: 
https://www.harvestingrainwater.com/2022/07/the-water-harvester-an-invitation-to-abundance/ 

Source of Income Ordinance by CJ Boyd

As a part of our city’s commitment to equity, Tucson prohibits housing discrimination. At present, people may not be denied housing on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, or marital status. These protections have been added gradually over decades, and represent an evolving process of protecting those most vulnerable to discrimination.  

Next month Mayor and Council will vote on whether to add another protected class to that list: source of income. This would simply mean that a landlord or property management company could not deny someone housing on the basis of where they get the money to pay for their housing (assuming that the source is legal).  While this protection would cover many sources of income, it is intended mainly to protect the Housing Choice Voucher, formerly known as section 8. Up until now, participation in the voucher program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has always been voluntary for landlords in Tucson.

That system worked for a long time, but the current housing market heavily favors landlords, and a record number of landlords have been exiting the program. According to Tucson’s Housing and Community Development Department (HCD), of the 1,820 landlords currently enrolled in the program, only 306 (16%) indicated their willingness to continue in the program. For perspective, there are currently 5,007 Tucson residents with vouchers, so clearly 306 landlords will not be able to meet their needs for rental assistance.

This massive exodus of landlords from the program has prompted HCD to recommend source of income protection, and Mayor and Council approved drafting the ordinance as part of HCD's Housing Affordability Strategy for Tucson (HAST) in December, 2021. City attorneys helped HCD draft the ordinance, and it was recommended for Mayor and Council approval by the Commission for Equitable Housing and Development (CEHD) earlier this month. Local housing advocates such as Tucson Alliance for Housing Justice, Tucson Yimby, and Casa Maria all support the ordinance, saying that it is necessary to make sure that those who rely on vouchers have access to housing.

Of the landlords who oppose the ordinance, some do so based on misconceptions about what the ordinance requires. HCD has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions to address some of the landlords' concerns here:  https://www.tucsonaz.gov/hcd/SOI

Landlords' top misplaced concerns are that this ordinance will require them to lower their rents and to rent to applicants simply because they have a voucher, but the ordinance requires neither. State law forbids cities from regulating rents in any way and applicants with with a housing voucher do not get special treatment when being considered for housing. If a landlord has multiple applicants for a unit, they may use whatever criteria they normally do to determine which applicant is the best fit. All this ordinance says is that a landlord may not discriminate against applicants because they will use a voucher to pay rent. 

Some landlords indicated that they're exiting the voucher program because HCD was not responsive enough to their needs, but since HCD Director Liz Morales took over as head of the department in 2019, she has made substantial improvements. HUD-mandated housing inspections no longer slow the process of placing people in their home, and rental payments from HUD are now administered in a couple of weeks as opposed to a couple of months. 

Public input will be used to refine the ordinance before Mayor and Council vote on it at the September 20th City Council meeting. If you’d like to give your input, the survey is available here:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/984af0b27d24469ebd09638ab05731d7

Miracle Manor by Marlene Avelino

Miracle Manor is bordered by Miracle Mile to the north, Oracle Rd. to the east, Grant Rd. to the south, and Fairview Ave. to the west. When Miracle Mile was the scenic entryway to Tucson, it was lined with palm trees, motor courts, and Hollywood celebrities filming old westerns. The neighborhood was annexed into the city in 1960 and the homes in the neighborhood were built from the 1940s through the 1970s. Miracle Manor is home to three churches - St. Michael Ukranian Catholic Church, Good News Community Church, and Christian Prison Ministries. 

The Miracle Manor Neighborhood Association was established in 2003 and is still active today. President Christina White appreciates the diversity of the neighborhood and the efforts of the Head Start program at Jacinto Park to bridge language barriers and help build community. To join the association please email Christina at [email protected].  

The association has tackled big projects in the past. In 2009, neighborhood leaders started applying for grants with the goal of updating and improving Jacinto Park. They eventually raised $268k from city, county, federal, and private grants to install a basketball half-court, Ramada, walking path, water fountain, swings, and a game table. In 2010, the association took on a mural at S & K Market on 15th Ave. The project was in partnership with Youth Empowerment Services Network and involved community engagement at every level. The neighborhood elders contributed their memories and stories, including of the drive-in theater and the young people that would sit on the roof of Nash Elementary to watch. The youth learned design principles and how to paint a mural. 

Miracle Manor has its fair share of great local businesses. McGary’s Discount Groceries is a family owned and operated salvage grocery store providing the community with deep discounts on everyday items. Taqueria Juanitos is hard to miss with its deep purple exterior on Grant Road, and no rainy day is complete without a bowl of their caldo de pollo! Marjon Ceramics is a go-to in the area for ceramics supplies. And we couldn’t do a round-up without including the great community connector, Monterey Court. Live music, good food, local artists - we are so grateful to have them in the neighborhood. 

Ward 3 Neighborhood and Coalition Meetings

Mountain First Neighborhood Association
Saturday
August 13th
8:00-9:00 am
Mitchell Park  
1100 E. Mitchell St. 

Samos Neighborhood Association
Tuesday
August 16th
6:30-7:30 pm 
on Zoom

Rillito Bend  Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meeting
Saturday 
August 20th 
1:00-1:30 pm
on Zoom

Flowing Wells Neighborhood Watch 
Saturday
August 20th 
4:00-4:30 pm
Old Times Kafe
1485 W. Prince Rd.

The Ward 3 office is open. Staff will answer phone messages, emails and requests for meetings by the next business day. Leave your message at 520-791-4711 or email [email protected].

Ward 3 Events

Help Folks Weed the Chicanes! 
(Chicanes are those traffic abatement bump-outs with plants in them!) 

On Saturday, August 13th, meet at 8 am at Treat and Sylvia. Bring gloves and pliers, or a narrow shovel, or a pick, and work together to get those mesquites seedlings out!

Donna Liggins Senior Club

Food4Life at New Life Community Church of the Nazarene on August 20th 

Food distribution is Saturday, August 20th, at New Life Community Church of the Nazarene (3367 N. Geronimo). Sign-up begins at 8 a.m. There will be vegetables, fruit, packaged food, desserts, dairy, and some meat. You get to select your own food, and there are no income, residency, or other requirements. 

Tucson Home Sharing

City Wide Events

 Allyship in Ownership Online Course  

As part of the Tucson Alliance for Housing Justice's (TAHJ) multi-pronged approach to addressing evictions and homelessness, Justice Movement is offering a four-week course online for property owners, landlords, and folks who want to better understand how to engage in rent collecting in ethical and equitable ways.

Join Justice Movement founders Nat and Danya as they guide you through a deep dive into allyship and accountability: Register Here

Sign Up for Tucson's Climate Action Report! 

You can use this link to subscribe to the Climate Action Report through the City Manager's Office:https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/AZTUCSON/subscriber/new   

Woods Memorial Library Health Action Team: Applications Due August 22, 2022

2018 Park + Connections Bond Oversight Commission Meeting

Subject: Proposition 407: Tucson Delivers Parks and Connections, a $225 million bond package dedicated to improving City park amenities (playgrounds, sports fields, pools, splash pads, and recreation centers), as well as connections (pedestrian pathways, bicycle pathways, and pedestrian and bicycle safety).

Date: Monday, August 15th
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Location: 900 S Randolph Way or Zoom

To Address the Commission (Zoom): Email Leticia Flores at [email protected], or call (520) 885-9009 by 10 a.m. on August 15 with your full name, mailing address, phone number, and the topic you wish to address.

Address the Commission (In-Person): Attend in-person and notify staff that you would like to speak to the Commission.
Agenda: City of Tucson Boards and Commissions

Reid Park Zoo Summer Safari Nights, Saturday evenings through August 13!

Enjoy the Zoo and cooler evening temperatures as you watch the sunset at this series of themed nights featuring different keeper chats, animal encounters, artifact stations, and special activities. Refresh with dinner and a cold drink at the Zoofari Market, listen to live music by some of Tucson’s best bands. Take a ride on the Cox Jungle Carousel, and play games with Tucson Parks and Recreation’s ‘Ready, Set, Rec! There will be a different theme each week, so every visit brings something new and plenty of photo opportunities to remember a great evening.

Admission is free for Zoo members! Click here to learn more and view dates and themes.

Did You Know?

Volunteers Needed

The City of Tucson has opened six cooling centers, one in each city council ward, open from noon-6 p.m. The centers are located at Donna Liggins Center, 2160 N. 6th Ave.; El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road; El Rio Center, 1390 W. Speedway Blvd; Morris K. Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road; Randolph Center, 200 S. Alvernon Way; and William M. Clements Center, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive. Additionally, the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness has compiled a list of additional cooling stations and locations for water and supplies. Follow the link below for more information and locations.

Cooling centers

Tucson Water Discounts

Call 520-791-5443 to make an appointment or visit this site for more information: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/water/low-income-assistance-program

COVID-19 Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance

Funding requests for unpaid rent and utilities are available for up to 12 months in arrears and three months in advance. Those without internet access can call (520) 447-4423 to apply, and bilingual case managers are available. Go to this site for more information.

We welcome your feedback !

Please feel free to email us at [email protected]

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