Homing Project pushes to double its Tucson micro homes as Northside neighbors raise expansion concerns

Residents in Tucson’s Keeling neighborhood are watching a city review that could change the size and character of a planned micro home community for people experiencing homelessness. The Homing Project is asking Tucson’s Planning and Development Services to approve an expansion from 10 units to as many as 20. Supporters say the additional homes could help people move indoors and connect with services, while nearby residents worry the larger project could bring more noise, traffic, parking pressure, lighting and activity to their Northside neighborhood.

Kris Olson-Garwal, founder of the Homing Project, and project manager Luis Adame submitted a 100-foot special exception procedure notice to the city. The request seeks permission to build more homes on the property, which is located in the Keeling neighborhood. As part of the city’s review, nearby residents can provide feedback before a decision is made. A group of 15 neighbors has already sent a letter asking the city to reconsider the proposed expansion.

The project’s organizers describe the community as more than a place for people to sleep. Each micro home would provide a 64-square-foot space with air conditioning, a bed and storage. The property would also have communal showers, a kitchen and round-the-clock security. Case managers from Catholic Community Services are expected to be on site to help residents connect with services and other resources.

The Homing Project plans to begin operating at the end of the month, with its first residents expected to be young women and survivors of domestic violence. Olson-Garwal said the broader purpose is to help people leave the streets, receive treatment for whatever challenges they face, gain job training when needed and work toward employment that pays a living wage. The proposed increase would give the organization space to serve more people as Tucson continues to confront homelessness and a shortage of housing.

Adame said the homes could help create stability and a sense of community for people who have been homeless. In addition to offering shelter, he said, the project would provide food and support while residents are living there. He also emphasized the importance of working with future residents on social needs, including how to live alongside others. Building trust with neighbors, he said, would be essential to preventing problems.

Some residents, however, want the organization to begin with the 10 homes that were initially planned before seeking to double the project. Jane Evans, who owns a nursery and a house near the property, said the Homing Project should first demonstrate that it has the capacity to help residents overcome addiction, pursue education and move toward greater independence. In her view, starting with the original number would allow the neighborhood and the organization to see how the program functions before adding more people.

Evans is also concerned that doubling the number of residents could strain the available space. She questioned what would happen if 20 people were using an area designed for 10, saying the added population could create overcrowding and reduce the space available to neighbors. Laurie Clark, another Keeling resident, shares those concerns. She and Evans are among the neighbors who signed the letter urging the city to reject or reconsider the larger proposal.

Clark said residents are worried that the expansion could change the quiet nature of the neighborhood. She pointed to possible increases in parking demand, volunteer activity, street lighting and foot traffic. From her perspective, the project could feel less like a small residential effort and more like a business operating in the middle of the neighborhood. The concerns reflect the tension facing Tucson as efforts to create new housing and services for people without homes are proposed in established residential areas.

The city’s review will include feedback from the surrounding community, but the available information does not indicate when a final decision will be made. For the Homing Project, the next step is securing approval to add the units while preparing to open the initial community. For neighbors, the review provides an opportunity to press for answers about capacity, security, parking, noise and how the project will operate day to day. The outcome will determine whether the Keeling site remains limited to 10 micro homes or grows to a 20-unit community intended to provide shelter, services and a path toward stability.