A pilot program slated to launch in Tucson later this year will provide temporary sleeping space for people experiencing homelessness.
The program uses both city money and funding from local nonprofits — including the Primavera Foundation and Old Pueblo Community Services — to set up an outdoor facility in midtown Tucson where people can come to spend the night.
City Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz says the space is set to open in October and will be able to provide a safe space for 25 to 30 people at a time.
“We’re hoping to fill a gap in our shelter continuum, getting people off the streets and into transitional housing, and more permanent housing will take some time,” Santa Cruz said. “But the hope is that if we’re able to be successful, that we could have more of these outdoor safe zones throughout the community.”
Santa Cruz says this will be a short-term, low-barrier shelter that welcomes people with pets, partners or issues like addiction — factors that sometimes prevent people from getting into other shelters.
The project will last for a year and is part of the city’s housing first initiative, which aims to address homelessness first and then connect people with other support services after that.
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