CHRPA (Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona)
Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona is a community resource serving Tucsonans in need.
About CHRPA (Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona)
Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona, known as CHRPA, is a nonprofit community resource serving low-income homeowners in Tucson and Pima County. The organization provides emergency home repairs, along with adaptive and safety modifications for people with disabilities. Its work is focused on creating safer places to live by addressing health and safety concerns through efficient repairs and home adaptations that support long-term housing solutions for low-income homeowners and their families.
CHRPA responds to problems that can threaten a home's safety, health, or liveability. The situations described by the organization include broken water lines, rusted gas pipes, cooling systems that no longer cool, heaters that do not heat, stopped-up sewer lines, leaking roofs, broken doors, and electrical problems. For homeowners living on very limited incomes, these emergencies can be difficult to manage. CHRPA prioritizes issues that affect basic safety and livability, serving working families as well as elderly and disabled people on fixed incomes.
The organization traces its work to 1982, when it operated as Mennonite Home Repair, and later became Community Home Repair. Throughout that history, CHRPA has remained committed to providing a quick-response service for emergency home repairs in Tucson and Pima County. It partners with agencies and programs that share an interest in this work, including city and county programs, neighborhood associations, religious and civic organizations, health care providers, and other community groups. Referrals come from school wellness centers, social service organizations, utility companies, government agencies, friends, and neighbors.
CHRPA describes its process as simple, neighborly, and centered on responding to people in need. The agency works to keep its waiting list short and to address concerns in a timely and effective manner. Its volunteer program is an important part of that effort. Volunteers range in age from 18 to 84, including retired contractors and people who had never picked up a hammer before joining. CHRPA provides a supportive setting where volunteers can learn technical skills while serving the community, with weekly educational sessions for staff and volunteers and semi-annual retreats focused on team building.
Over its years of service, Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona has received recognition from organizations and public agencies including Housing and Urban Development, the City of Tucson, and Pima County. Listed honors include the Program Innovation of the Year Award from the Arizona Housing Authority Director's Association, a Community Development Block Grant Award, the National Award of Merit from the National Housing Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, the Salt and Light Award from Community Renewal, and the Stanley Feldman Certificate of Honor Award from the Human Relations Commission of Tucson. Homeowners seeking assistance can contact CHRPA to learn about available repair and modification support. The organization serves Tucson and Pima County, with particular attention to low-income homeowners facing health, safety, or accessibility concerns.