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Karin’s Ward 3 News and Updates
Friday, July 16, 2021
News and Updates
Pet of the Week
Ward 3 Neighborhood Association/Coalition Meetings
Ward 3 Events
Did You Know?
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Dear Tucsonans,
While the summer months may be best spent appreciating the monsoon season, much intensive work continues by the city to plan and prepare for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) resources we will be receiving. A key area of investment called out by Mayor and Council is gun violence prevention.
I know we’re all alarmed by the increasing incidents of gun violence in Tucson and communities across the country. We have a unique opportunity to fund proven prevention programs and services. I’d like to hear from you about programs and services that you know of that can advance that goal. Engaging youth, preventing the violence that begets violence, addressing trauma, teaching alternatives to violence….many of you know about what has worked in the community. Please share your thoughts on sound investments with proven results. Working together we can promote community safety and interrupt the underlying causes of violence for the benefit of all.
Additional investment plans, which will be sustainable and transformative as called for in the federal legislation, will advance workforce development, youth development, affordable housing, small businesses and address the grief from loss of family members due to the pandemic and the behavioral health challenges that too many Tucsonans face.
Ok, we can all multi-task right? So enjoy the rain, stay safe in case of flooding, and thank you for all of the ways you keep contributing to making Tucson the very best city it can be!
Karin
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Parks Prop 407 update
With summer in full bloom, including some much welcomed rain, our Ward 3 parks are seeing more use as we carefully come out of the pandemic. Some of our pools have been open and park users are gathering in the cool evenings and even during the daytime favored by the more hardy among us.
Here at the Ward 3 office we thought to offer up an update to the progress of park improvements under the 2018 Prop 407 bond and the schedule of some the major projects to come. As a reminder, City voters gave their thumbs up on a $225 million bond package for capital improvements over nine years, 2020-2028. The funds, secured through the sale of bonds, will be spent on amenities in virtually all of our City parks. Improvements will be made to playgrounds, sports fields, pools, splash pads, and recreation centers. Also connections to the parks will be enhanced through pedestrian pathways, bicycle pathways, all to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Because of the vast amount of work, the planning, design and construction and the sale of the bonds, the improvements were spread over the nine years in three phases: 2019-2022, 2023-2025, 2026-2028. In short, not all the projects could be built at the same time.
In Ward 3 parks, some projects have been completed or are in progress.
The completed projects were placing new shade covers at Balboa, La Madera, Jacobs, Balboa Heights and Amphi parks. The irrigation lines were renovated at Jacobs and a new linear park was built along Grant Avenue in the Jefferson Park neighborhood. At the Donna Liggins Center at Mansfield Park a new HVAC system is in place.
Upcoming projects in Fiscal Year 22-23, will involve: Amphitheater Pool, Mansfield Pool, Christopher Columbus Park, Jacinto Park, Jacobs Park/Pool, Juhan Park, Keeling Desert Park, La Madera Park, McCormick Park, Mitchell Park, North Sixth Ave Dog Park.
To dig deeper in the projects, this interactive map will lead you the various projects. You can view the different categories of projects and find out more detailed information.
Residents will have additional opportunities to participate in the planning process. For example, Parks and Recreation will hold later this month and in early August public sessions to discuss priorities for Jacobs Park and the Ochoa Soccer Complex on North Fairview Avenue.
Park users and residents can currently take a survey on their priorities for the park’s amenities. You can find the survey here. The survey ends Aug. 11. On July 28 residents can participate in a virtual session, in English at 5:30 pm and in Spanish at 6:30 pm. The registration links for the sessions and more information are here. An in-person gathering will be held at Jacobs Park on Saturday, Aug. 7, from 9-10:30 am.
Parks and Recreation has a wealth of information at this site for all city-wide projects.
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Housing First Director
In this newsletter we don’t bring you City job announcements. But this one is different. This one is important because Housing Matters For All.
The City just released the job announcement for Tucson’s Housing First Program Director. This person will be up front and center, in full public view, leading the “full scope of work to coordinate ending homelessness through a Housing First lens alongside City, County, State partnerships.”
This is a big lift. But it is one that needs to be done. Providing housing options for individuals experiencing houselessness among us is critical for the well being of all city residents. As our wealth gap widens, exacerbated by job and wage losses during the pandemic, and as housing costs soar, houselessness is no longer abstract for many people. And even for many residents who are secure in their homes and jobs, we can not be a whole and healthy community if our neighbors are having to live unsheltered without access to have basic needs met.
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The Housing First Director will be asked to be “a strategic thinker and innovative with a strong desire to conquer new professional challenges.” Housing First is a different approach in dealing with the challenge. The approach seeks to provide permanent housing to houseless people, give them stability from which they can improve their quality of life. “This approach is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to anything less critical, such as getting a job, budgeting properly, or attending to substance use issues.”
The City has begun the hiring process as it seeks candidates from across the country. The Housing First Director will coordinate efforts across various City departments.
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ADU Public Hearing
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Unified Development Code to allow Accessory Dwelling Units, known as ADUs, on Wednesday, July 28 at 6 pm.
At the request of Mayor and Council, the City of Tucson has developed a proposal to change the zoning code. An ADU is an independent housing unit with its own kitchen, bathroom, living and sleeping space, built on the same lot as a primary residence. These units have been legalized in other communities in order to create more affordable housing, support multi-generational households, provide more options for residents who wish to age in place and help families build multi-generational wealth.
Currently the City’s zoning regulations make it difficult to build these units on most residential lots. The City has worked with stakeholders and the public to develop a recommendation for how to permit Accessory Dwelling Units and create appropriate development standards to allow this housing option. For more background, please visit the project website.
Last month the Planning Commission held a study session to review and discuss the proposal and it voted hold a public hearing to take public comments. The Commission will later make its recommendation to Mayor and Council which in turn will hold another public hearing.
The study session meeting agenda and materials can be found on the Planning Commission webpage. The agenda, materials and instructions on how to join the Public Hearing will be posted next week. Planning Commission meetings are being held virtually over Zoom.
The draft ADU proposal was developed based on community goals, public meetings, online comments, and input from a stakeholder group representing a range of viewpoints and expertise. At recent meetings public meetings, staff shared a proposal to allow ADUs in Tucson, and participants had a chance to offer feedback and hear from other community members.
Use these resources to learn more about the proposal:
You can submit written comments or request to speak at the hearing by emailing PlanningCommission@tucsonaz.gov.
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Equitable Economic Mobility
The City of Tucson has been selected by the National League of Cities as one of eight communities in the U.S. for its Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative. The NLC's EEMI is a 15-month technical assistance and grant project aimed at boosting the City’s ongoing efforts to expand economic mobility for residents while eliminating longstanding racial inequities. Tucson was selected for the initiative because of its demonstrated commitment to racial equity and economic mobility, along with the strong existing partnerships and capacity for data collection and analysis.
The Ward 3 Council Office, Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Office of Economic Initiatives are collaborating on this project which seeks to develop specific economic mobility strategies for public housing residents and other economically vulnerable populations in the Thrive in the 05 area.
After the announcement was made, Council Member Uhlich responded: “Our economic mobility efforts will develop resources to connect Tucson House residents and others in the Thrive in the 05 to the economic benefits available and to employment opportunities. By reducing the economic vulnerability and stresses that too many households face, I believe we can truly reduce poverty.”
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said this program is much needed in a post-pandemic period. “COVID-19 exacerbated societal inequities that have long existed, disproportionately impacting low-income communities.” She added that “this will help us increase economic mobility from the bottom up, ensuring that our recovery uplifts our most vulnerable populations.”
The seven neighborhoods along Oracle Road and Miracle Mile are currently included in a City revitalization initiative. This area is characterized by high poverty rates and lower educational attainment along with the largest concentration of public housing. Using data and research, the grant program will help identify workforce development opportunities and create pilot programs to assist with job placement, financial literacy, and personalized counseling with the goal of greater economic stability for Tucson families.
“Many local governments are investing in programs that help people meet their basic needs, but few examine how existing systems can be improved to help families build wealth,” said Dr. Robert Blaine, Senior Executive and Director of the Institute for Youth, Education and Families at the National League of Cities. “The National League of Cities is proud to work with the City of Tucson in its efforts to address long-standing racial inequality and help promote the inherent dignity of each of its residents by expanding opportunities for economic mobility within the community.”
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation generously supports the Equitability Economic Mobility Initiative.
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Grey
Meet Grey. She is a spayed female, blue and white Turkish Angora who is about 2 years old. Turkish Angoras are an ancient breed that is found in Turkey and one theory even suggests that Vikings brought them from Turkey to Western Europe more than a thousand years ago! Angoras keep their kittenlike playfulness well into old age. They are friendly toward guests but love their own people best.
If you are interested in adopting Grey, please submit an adoption survey and visit Pima Animal Care Center during regular business hours.
Please email pacc.adopt@pima.gov with additional questions.
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Ward 3 Neighborhood Association/Coalition Meetings |
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Limberlost
Saturday
July 17
10 - 11 am
Zoom
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Produce On Wheels - With Out Waste
Saturday
July 17
6-9 am
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
1145 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson 85719
No income or residential qualifications required. $12 for up to 70 lbs. of fresh produce.
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City Council Meeting
Wednesday
August 4
Click here and go to "Mayor & Council Meeting Live" to watch! (To watch past meetings, visit the City of Tucson YouTube page. This is also where future meetings will be live streamed. |
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Ward 3 Candidate Forum
Tuesday
July 20
5-7 pm
Literacy Connects
200 E Yavapai Rd
Tickets are $15 and you can purchase them here
Join Tucson Young Professionals and the Tucson Urban League Young Professionals for a time of connection and conversation with the candidates running for Ward 3.
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Summer Leadership Institute
Check out this opportunity for Youth ages 11-14
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Eviction Prevention/Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Funds Still Available
The federal eviction moratorium is set to expire on July 31. Applications are still being accepted for the Eviction Prevention Program in Tucson. The Mayor and Tucson City Council approved spending $27.1 million ($19.1 million from the City of Tucson and $8 million from Pima County) for the Tucson and Pima County Eviction Prevention/Emergency Rent and Utility Relief Program. Through the coordinated efforts of the City, County, and the Community Investment Corporation, both tenants and landlords/property managers (acting on behalf of tenants) can now apply for funds. Dual enrollment of tenants and landlords is accepted. Funding requests for unpaid rent and utilities are available for up to 12 months in arrears and three months in advance. For information, eligibility requirements, and to apply online, visit the Tucson and Pima County Eviction Prevention Program website linked below. Those without internet access can call (831) 292-4308 to apply, and bilingual case managers are available.
Tucson and Pima County Eviction Prevention Program
In addition, The Arizona Department of Economic Security is now administering utilities assistance to Arizona renters across the state.
If you are a renter and have been impacted by COVID-19, you may be eligible for past-due and future utilities assistance. To learn more about the program and how to apply, please visit here.
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The Latest on COVID19 Vaccinations in Pima County
Get answers to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Check out the FAQ's to find up-to-date information on distribution, safety and much more.
Upcoming open mobile vaccination clinics -- no appointment needed
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Operation Splash Underway
Tucson's monsoon started officially June 15. As weather patterns shift to bring moisture into Tucson, crews from the City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) Streets Maintenance Division recently delivered barricades to hundreds of dip crossings throughout the city. Protecting the public on city streets during Tucson’s summer thunderstorm season is the objective of the Operation Splash campaign. DTM staff is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through mid-September. As washes flood, crews will close roadways at dip crossings and washes using more than 500 barricades near the crossings.
FREE SAND BAGS FOR MONSOONS - DTM will also assist residents concerned with flooding by offering free, self-serve sandbags:
Bring your own shovel.
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