Tucson STAR Village outdoor shelter opens to women, nonbinary people experiencing homelessness

A new homeless shelter facility is officially accepting new intakes in Tucson.

Dubbed STAR Village, the project is a gated campsite with on-site services that aims to offer short-term, outdoor housing for women and nonbinary people.

Tucson announced it was partnering with local nonprofits in August to launch STAR Village — a one-year pilot program to provide a safe outdoor space.

Tisha Tallman is the CEO of the Primavera Foundation, one of the nonprofits behind the project.

“This just recognizes that we have a bed shortage both for emergency shelter and for safe, affordable housing. So while our shelters are low-barrier, this is an even a lower barrier,” she said.

Tallman says that’s because outreach teams go into homeless encampments and speak with people directly, and the facility accepts those who don’t have an ID — something that’s required at most shelters. The site also has security measures in place and provides opportunities for employment, help with obtaining IDs, cooling and warming tents, and other services.

“Our outreach teams are out speaking with individuals on a regular basis and offering services and offering supplies to folks that are currently on the streets. And then through that process, they’re determining people’s eligibility and desire to be placed in a safer place,” she said.

Tallman says the site has already started intake and will accept up to 25 people.

Earlier this week, Tucson leaders held a roundtable about ongoing community frustration with crime and other issues. As the Tucson Sentinel reports, city leaders said expanded housing and shelter options through STAR Village, along with new ordinances against panhandling, would help address homelessness.

The roundtable comes amid a new Safe City Initiative — which includes a new task force on law enforcement and drug recovery, and a host of social services programs to address drug use, crime and homelessness.