TUCSON, AZ — Six new homes could soon rise on vacant land in Tucson's Barrio Anita neighborhood — and the city wants to hear from residents before moving forward.
Tucson's Housing and Community Development Department is preparing to ask the federal government to release funds for the Barrio Anita Casitas project, a plan to build six single-family affordable homes on four vacant parcels along North Contzen Avenue.
The submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected around May 29.
The homes will be sold to low- and moderate-income families through the Pima County Community Land Trust, a model designed to keep housing affordable long-term by separating ownership of the home from ownership of the land beneath it.
The project is designed with the neighborhood in mind. The homes will reflect Sonoran Pueblo and Post-War Pueblo architecture, with stucco facades, high-vaulted ceilings, single-hung vertical windows and metal hip roofs.
Three-bedroom, two-bathroom units are planned for the western portion of the property, and one-bedroom, one-bathroom units on the eastern side.
The project also includes new sidewalks, steel carports, native landscaping and paved driveways, according to city officials.
The total cost is estimated at just over $2 million, with $573,476 coming from federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds. The rest is covered through Pima County gap funding and two national grants focused on community reinvestment and fair housing.
Residents have until May 28 to submit written comments on the project's environmental review. Comments can be emailed to emilie.fisher@tucsonaz.gov or mailed to the city's Housing and Community Development Department.
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