 HELP CHOOSE NEW MIDDLE HOUSING DESIGNS FOR TUCSON – PEOPLE'S CHOICE SURVEY NOW OPEN
The City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department invites community members to select their preferred middle housing designs through the People’s Choice Survey as part of the Middle Housing Design Competition. Community members can review the submitted designs and choose their top three through 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Survey results, along with a review by a selection committee of architects and design professionals, will determine the 15 selected designs. Each selected design will receive a $1,000 award. Selected designs that are submitted for permitting as model plans will also have building review fees waived.
The competition is a partnership between Planning and Development Services Department and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Southern Arizona. It invited architects, engineers, designers, builders, contractors, design-build teams, and students to submit middle housing plans that could be pre-approved and made available to Tucson property owners. More than 50 designs were submitted, and public input will help shape which ones move forward. Selected designs will join the City's existing Casita Model Plan Library, which will grow into a residential infill library with pre-approved options for Accessory Dwelling Units as well as middle housing, making it faster and easier for property owners to build housing.
WHAT IS MIDDLE HOUSING?
Middle housing refers to smaller-scale residential building types that sit between single-family homes and large apartment complexes. Mayor and Council voted 6-1 on December 16, 2025, to allow middle housing on most residential lots in Tucson, effective January 1, 2026, giving Tucsonans more housing options across life stages and income levels. Design costs can be a barrier to building, and this competition aims to create a catalog of pre-approved plans that reduces both the cost and complexity of adding housing.
For more information about middle housing and the design competition, visit or email .
This project was made possible for the community due to the generous support of AARP. It is part of AARP's nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports cities, towns, neighborhoods, and rural areas in becoming livable for people of all ages. This year, 750 grantees were selected from 5,100 applications across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To learn more, visit the AARP Community Challenge website.
Project Contact
Amanda Smith, Lead Planner
MHDesign@tucsonaz.gov
Media Contact
Ina Ronquillo, Public Information Officer
ina.ronquillo@tucsonaz.gov
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