Join us for the quarterly General Council meeting of the TPCH membership. This meeting will be held in person at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, located at 5049 E Broadway.
For a list of members eligible to vote in this meeting, see the TPCH Voting Member Roster linked below.
Please note that the meeting will be 12:30pm – 2:30pm, followed by additional training opportunities 2:45pm – 4:15pm.
Summary Meeting Agenda
Roll Call and Consent Agenda
Shannon Fowler, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Community Celebrations
Shannon Fowler, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
CoC Lead Updates
Elaine MacPherson, Continuum of Care Lead Agency (City of Tucson)
Board Updates
Shannon Fowler, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Housing Central Command Updates
Housing Central Command Leadership
HUD Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Elaine MacPherson, Continuum of Care Lead Agency (City of Tucson)
Committee and Coalition Updates
Committee and Coalition Representatives
New Business/Announcements
Group Discussion
Shannon Fowler, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Shannon Fowler, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report
The Southwest Institute for Research on Women has released its most recent update to its report on Housing Insecurity Indicators and Potential Homelessness Estimates for Arizona and Pima County. This report measures current housing insecurity with newer census data, and shares some of the following:
This most recent survey wave contains mixed news:
Unemployment: macroeconomic situation has continued to be unusually positive at both the national and state levels. The unemployment rate in Arizona, 3.4% in May 2024, is a modest decrease relative to 4.2% in January 2024 and remains well-below historical averages.
Rents: In previous survey waves, collected in February and March of this year, the proportion of non-current renters in Arizona fell to 6.3% in February and 6.7% in March. In the two most recent waves of the Census Household Pulse survey the proportion of non-current renters in Arizona jumped to 10.7% in April and rose further to 11.8% in May. This suggests that the declines observed in February and March were most likely temporary impacts related to tax return season. Once these tax refunds have been spent, we see what appears to be a return to stubbornly high levels of housing insecurity despite historically low unemployment.
Housing insecurity and evictions: That said, the proportion of these non-current renters viewing eviction in the next two months as “very likely” remained very low at 3.6%. In addition, the accumulation of rental debt has also fallen substantially with 80% of non-current Arizona renters being only 1 month behind on their rent payments (or less). These last two indicators are important qualifiers to the overall percentage of renters not-current, and do suggest that the intensity of housing insecurity, even among non-current renters, has declined substantially relative to previous survey waves.
Racial disparities: That said, lower-income and BIPOC Arizona households remain disproportionately likely to report being not current on their rent payments and finding it very difficult to meet usual expenses. The National Equity Atlas estimated that 58% of non-current renters in Arizona are POC and 68% are low-income (based on the Census HPS data wave collected Apr 2nd-29th 2024).
Mortgages: Mortgage holders in Arizona continue to be in a strong, and improving, financial position relative to renters. Only 3.6% reported being not current on mortgage payments (down slightly from 4.1% last wave), and concern about the likelihood of foreclosure is extremely low among these non-current mortgage holders.
Rent prices: In the fall of 2022 Tucson rent prices began decreasing on average, albeit very modestly. In the Spring of 2023 rent prices in Tucson registered modest upticks in median/average rent prices. Despite these increases, seasonally adjusted metrics of Tucson rent prices increased only 3.5% between April 2023 and April 2024.
Rental vacancy rate: In addition, there is unambiguous good news in the rental vacancy rate, which has been trending upwards since the end of 2021, and hit an 8-year high in the 1st quarter of 2024. However, countervailing signals worth attention include: 54% of all Arizona respondents reported they had not experienced pressure to move in the last 6 months, 62% of Arizona renters reported an increase in their monthly rent in the last year and 48% reported an increase of $100 or more.
Eviction filings: The most significant development in this report is that eviction filings have fallen substantially since January and suggest a substantial easing of housing insecurity among Pima County renters.Relative to a peak of 1307 eviction filings in January of 2024, the monthly count of eviction filings has fallen 54.7% to 592 in June. We have not seen the count of eviction filings this low since August of 2021 immediately following the expiration of the eviction moratorium.
Basic necessities: Other metrics suggest continuing reason for concern: 9% of Arizona households reported reducing or not paying expenses for basic household necessities (such as medicine or food) “almost every month” in the last 12 months to pay an energy bill (65% of households reported “never” being in this situation). Credit card debt balances nationwide and in Arizona have increased 33% between Q4 2022-Q4 2023. And since November of 2023, counts of calls to 211 from Pima County indicate a very substantial increasein calls related to housing and shelter and utilities in recent months.
2024 Point-in-Time Count Infographic Released for Community Review
The Southwest Institute for Research on Women has released a summary of the 2024 Point-in-Time Count results in the form of an infographic. This infographic describes some improvements, such as a decrease in both veteran and unsheltered homelessness. However, analysis of the data also points to persisting racial disparities among those experiencing unsheltered homelessness, as well as the strong need for housing opportunities for parenting youth.
To cross reference this summary report with the existing demographic needs documented in the 2023 TPCH Homeless Needs Assessment, see the summary infographics posted here.
Homeless Needs Assessment Summary Infographics
In August of 2023, TPCH and the University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women released “No Judgment Here”, the 2023 Needs Assessment of Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Tucson. The 2023 needs assessment was conducted by the University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women with funding and support provided by the City of Tucson Housing and Community Development Department and the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness.
Providers and community members are now able to review summary infographics, broken down into five subpopulations assessed during the creation of this report:
BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) adults
Justice-involved adults
Men
Older adults
Women
The 2023 report is based on nearly 400 in-person interviews and focus groups conducted in outreach centers, shelters, and other service environments. Interviews were conducted by University researchers and peer interviewers, current and former shelter residents, using a participatory action research model. We hope that providers are better informed for the work they seek funding to provide, and community members gain insight from these summaries.
TPCH Announces Continuum of Care Board and Committee Seats
On June 28, 2024, the United States Supreme Court ruled that people sleeping outside could be ticketed and after multiple tickets, jailed for thirty (30) days. The Court stated that these penalties were neither cruel or unusual because they didn’t inflict terror or pain and were not unusual to the city’s other punishments. See City of Grants Pass, Or. v. Johnson, 603 U.S. 1 (2024). The Court also stated, “Under the city’s laws, it makes no difference whether the charged defendant is homeless, a backpacker on vacation passing through town, or a student who abandons his dorm room to camp out in protest on the lawn of a municipal building.” Id.
The Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness disagrees wholeheartedly with this ruling. Our unhoused neighbors will be disproportionately affected by laws that could inflict similar punishments. As Justice Sotomayor states in her dissent, “Homelessness in America is a complex and heartbreaking crisis. People experiencing homelessness face immense challenges….” See Sotomayor dissent, Grants Pass. The ideology behind these laws is to exclude people from our community based on their unhoused status. Barriers created by fines and potential warrants will make it extremely harder to become housed. Our Continuum has focused its effort and housing first and services for the whole person. We do not seek to further punish those who are experiencing houselessness by a creation of barriers that will not deter folks from sleeping outside.
Click here for more info on how to address homelessness without criminalization
TPCH Announces Continuum of Care Board and Committee Seats
The TPCH 2024 Continuum of Care Election Process Has Concluded
Newly seated members will begin terms July 1, 2024
Through participation from Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness General Council members, members of the CoC governing board and five committees are now seated. TPCH welcomes the perspectives and expertise of our new board and committee members in our mission to prevent and end homelessness in Tucson and Pima County.
Continuum of Care Board
The CoC Board serves as the primary decision-making body for TPCH. The CoC Board acts on behalf of the TPCH General Council in setting policy and governing oversight for our coalition. Board Members participate in monthly CoC Board Meetings and to contribute time and effort to CoC activities throughout the year. Board members are elected by the TPCH General Council.
Yvette Gonzales, Pima County
Bernadette Unterbrink, Community Bridges Inc.
Randi Arnett, Primavera Foundation
Charles Dunn, St. Francis
Anna Santa-Cruz, DKA (Dorthy Kret & Associate)
Victor Bueno, Department of Economic Security
Lisa Floran, United Way
System Performance Evaluation
Amaris Vasquez, City of Tucson & Pima County
Paula Dwornicki, Primavera Foundation
Michael Macrie-Shuck, Primavera Foundation
Ellie Millyard, City of Tucson
Colleen McDonald, Our Family Services
Keith Bentele, UA SIROW
Louisa Osborn, Compass Affordable Housing
Congratulations to all those joining in the work to prevent and end homelessness in Pima County! All Board and committee members are expected to abide by the TPCH Code of Conduct and TPCH Conflict of Interest Policy.
Happy Pride Month from the TPCH; free LGBTQ+ Affirm Workshops Available for Youth and Caregivers
The Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness wishes a Happy Pride Month to all community members of all identities.
Housing is Pride. With the incidence of homelessness higher for those in the LGBTQIA+ community proportionate to their share of the population, the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness is committed to achieving equity in the mission to prevent and end homelessness in Pima County.
Major areas of focus in the 2020-2025 In TPCH Community Plan include evaluating and addressing disparity in access to and use of temporary housing services among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and non-citizens, as well as evaluating discharge from shelter and supportive housing programs disparately impacting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; LGBTQ+ people, and non-citizens. Learn more about the work TPCH is doing here to face these challenges in our community.
For LGBTQIA+ Youth and their caregivers, the Family Pride Initiative is hosting a series of workshops to learn and foster positive coping skills, feel affirmed and foster gender affirming practices, and promote the safety and well-being of LGBTQIA+ youth overall. Learn more at the flyer, embedded below for download.
TPCH General Council Meets May 9, 2024
Join us for the quarterly General Council meeting of the TPCH membership. This meeting will be held in person at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, located at 5049 E Broadway.
For a list of members eligible to vote in this meeting, see the TPCH Voting Member Roster linked below.
Please note that the meeting will be 12:30pm - 2:30pm, followed by additional training opportunities 2:45pm - 4:15pm.
Summary Meeting Agenda
Roll Call and Consent Agenda
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Community Celebrations
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
CoC Lead Updates
Elaine MacPherson, Continuum of Care Lead Agency (City of Tucson)
Board Updates
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Housing Central Command Updates
Housing Central Command Leadership
Continuum of Care Annual Election Ballot
Jesus Federico, Continuum of Care Project Coordinator
Committee and Coalition Updates
Committee and Coalition Representatives
New Business/Announcements
Group Discussion
Sessions Offered:
Shelter Providers Discussion: System Enhancements and Voucher Move On
Mari Vasquez, Interagency Resource Coordinator, City of Tucson
Elaine MacPherson, Homeless System Improvement Supervisor, City of Tucson
Diversion and Rapid Resolution Funds through the Garcia Family Foundation
Kyle Kerns, Continuum of Care Project Coordinator, City of Tucson
LGBTQIA+ Equity
Shannon Fowler, Assistant Research Social Scientist, University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women (UA SIROW)
Join us for the quarterly General Council meeting of the TPCH membership. This meeting will be held in person at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, located at 5049 E Broadway.
For a list of members eligible to vote in this meeting, see the TPCH Voting Member Roster linked below.
Please note that the meeting will be 12:30pm - 2:30pm, followed by additional training opportunities 2:45pm - 4:15pm.
Summary Meeting Agenda
Roll Call and Consent Agenda
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Community Celebrations
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
CoC Lead Updates
Elaine MacPherson, Continuum of Care Lead Agency (City of Tucson)
Board Updates
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Motion: to add the following language to the TPCH Governance Charter clarifying the purpose of TPCH Committees:
“While each committee is operating within its domain, they are able to make decisions on behalf of the CoC with the following exceptions: a) decisions that would also impact another committee's domain, and b) decisions with financial implications.”
Housing Central Command Updates
Austin Puca, Continuum of Care Manager
Committee and Coalition Updates
Committee and Coalition Representatives
Sessions Offered:
Community Discussion on Discharge Planning (Facilitated by the CoC Lead)
Outreach Teams: New Waves of Street Drugs and Things to Look Out For
(Facilitated by Sergeant Jack Julsing and Lieutenant Matt Brady of the Tucson Police Department)
Join us for the quarterly General Council meeting of the TPCH membership on Thursday, November 9, 2023. This meeting will be held in person at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, located at 5049 E Broadway.
For a list of members eligible to vote in this meeting, see the TPCH Voting Member Roster linked below.
Please note that the meeting will be 12:30pm - 2:30pm, followed by additional training opportunities 2:45pm - 4:15pm.
Summary Meeting Agenda
Roll Call and Consent Agenda
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Community Celebrations
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
CoC Lead Updates
Elaine MacPherson, Continuum of Care Lead Agency (City of Tucson)
Board Updates
Jocelyn Muzzin, Continuum of Care Board Chairperson
Financial Updates
Elaine MacPherson, Continuum of Care Lead Agency (City of Tucson)
TPCH Strategic Plan Update
Committee and Coalition Representatives
Committee and Coalition Updates
Committee and Coalition Representatives
Frequent User System Engagement (FUSE) Update and Next Steps Presentation
Chuck Peterson, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
Ian Costello, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
Dr. Keith Bentele, University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW)
New Business/Announcements
Group Discussion
Sessions Offered:
Frequent User System Engagement (FUSE) Data Design Breakout (Facilitated by the Corporation for Supportive Housing and CoC Lead)
Frequent User System Engagement (FUSE) Program Design Breakout (Facilitated by the Corporation for Supportive Housing and CoC Lead)
TPCH Supplemental Funding to Address Unsheltered Homelessness Orientation (Presented by SNOFO Grantees: City of Tucson, Old Pueblo Community Services, and Community Bridges, Inc.)