At a Wednesday meeting, the Tucson City Council voted to release the initial portion of an $11.5 million Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant, awarded to Tucson among 17 of 175 nationwide applicants, is intended to preserve and improve manufactured housing – the most affordable housing option in the city and across the country.
Funding allocations
Two intergovernmental agreements between Tucson and Pima County were approved. The first directs $2 million to the Pima County Home Repair Program, which will support up to 75 households with roof repairs, energy‑efficiency upgrades, weatherization, accessibility improvements, and essential system fixes. Mobile‑home residents are especially vulnerable to heat‑related illnesses, making these upgrades a matter of public‑health safety.
The second agreement provides $976,399 to Pima County’s Emergency Eviction Legal Services (EELS) program. That funding will assist up to 250 households facing eviction, offering legal representation and counseling to keep families in their homes.
Local impact and leadership
Mayor Regina Romero highlighted the grant’s role in protecting affordable housing and enhancing resilience against extreme heat, noting that Tucson is one of the fastest‑warming cities in the nation. “Manufactured housing is the single most affordable type of housing in Tucson, and this investment will also help weatherize those homes,” she said.
Ward 6 Councilmember Miranda Schubert praised the years of groundwork that made the grant possible, emphasizing the compounded challenges residents face with extreme weather and complex ownership rules. “I’m extremely proud to see this initiative getting underway in our community,” Schubert added.
Projected outcomes
Ann Chanecka, Tucson’s housing and community‑development director, estimates the grant will preserve more than 150 homes, create a resident‑owned community, protect up to 250 households from eviction, and reach 480 residents with education and outreach. By preserving home ownership, the program supports long‑term financial stability and generational wealth for families.
The grant targets high‑density mobile‑home neighborhoods, including Flowing Wells, the Benson Highway corridor, the area between I‑19 and South Mission Road, and the Thrive‑05 development zone.
Broader affordable‑housing effort
This funding arrives alongside a recent $8.7 million investment approved by the Pima County Board of Supervisors for additional affordable‑housing projects. Together, the initiatives aim to expand low‑ and middle‑income housing options and keep residents rooted in their communities.
Residents like Robert Meade, an 80‑year‑old homeowner who recently benefited from a county repair program, illustrate the grant’s real‑world impact. After a storm stripped shingles from his four‑room mobile home, Meade’s granddaughter helped him locate the program that funded a $10,000 roof repair. “We don’t have a lot of money and we can’t do it ourselves,” Meade said, adding that the work was done so well he would recommend the service to anyone.
With the first disbursement now in place, Tucson and Pima County are poised to begin the next phase of preserving affordable, safe, and stable housing for thousands of residents across southern Arizona.
Original reporting: Arizona Luminaria — read the source article.
