Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness

Category: Now Happening

  • TPCH General Council Meets August 8, 2024

    TPCH General Council Meets August 8, 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

    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

     

    Download the Meeting Materials:

    8.8.2024_TPCH General Council Meeting Agenda

    TPCH Voting Member Roster_8.8.2024

    GENERAL COUNCIL_MIN_5.9.2024_Draft

     

     

  • TPCH Announces Continuum of Care Board and Committee Seats

    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

    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.

    Board members abide by the CoC Board Member Job Description, TPCH Code of Conduct, and TPCH Conflict of Interest Policy

    Newly seated members of the Continuum of Care Board include: 

    2024 Members of the CoC Board:

    Alyzdee Molina, AZ Department of Economic Security

    Brandi Champion, City of Tucson

    Sarah Meggison, City of Tucson

    Yvette Gonzales, Pima County

    Magali Lopez, Pima County

    Danell Jessup, Primavera Foundation

    Darius Miles, Youth Action Committee

    Mike Edmonds, Community Advocate

    Jocelyn Muzzin, Southern Arizona Veterans Health Care System

    Colleen McDonald, Our Family Services

    Shannon Fowler, University of Arizona SIROW

    Taylor Miranda, Connections Health Solutions – Crisis Response Center

    Daniel Kuhlman, University of Arizona

    Maria Wildey, Community Bridges, Inc.

    Lisa Floran, United Way

    Anna Santa Cruz, DKA (Dorthy Kret & Associate)

    Ana Lucero, Youth on Their Own

    Bernadette Unterbrink, Community Bridges, Inc.

    Rev. Ellie Hutchison, Arizona Faith Network Southern Arizona

    Paula Dwornicki, Primavera Foundation

     

    2024 Members of TPCH Governing Committees:

     

    Download a full description of the committees here

     

    Homeless Management Information System (HMIS):

    Tia Nichols, Sister Jose Women’s Center

    Cindy McClain, Compass Affordable Housing

    Elisa Gomez-Garica, Community Bridges, Inc.

    Maureen Freeman, Interfaith Community Services

    Mike Edmonds, Community Advocate

    Elise Gomez-Garcia, Pima County

    Kristina Abril, Primavera Foundation

     

    Coordinated Entry Committee: 

    Jocelyn Muzzin, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System

    Karina Islas, Pima County

    Tammy Byrnes, Our Family Services

    Cat Polston, City of Tucson

    Danell Jessup, Primavera Foundation

    Anna Billings, Old Pueblo Community Services

    Zach Simmons, University of Arizona SIROW

     

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Tia Nichols, Sister Jose Women’s Center

    Rev. Ellie Hutchison, Arizona Faith Network Southern Arizona

    Margaret Palmer, Arizona Pet Project

    Anna Lucero, Youth on Their Own

    Cat Polston, City of Tucson

    Stephanie Santiago, Community Advocate

    Alfonso Lopez, Veteran Affairs

    Leo Effendi, Direct Center for Independence

    Lee Barnhill, Community Advocate

    Cristina Hernandez, City of Tucson

    Ana Lucero, Youth on Their Own

     

    Continuum of Care Program Grant 

     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.

  • TPCH Releases 2024 Point in Time Count & Shelter/Supportive Housing Utilization Reports and Results Summary

    TPCH Releases 2024 Point in Time Count & Shelter/Supportive Housing Utilization Reports and Results Summary

     

    The Annual Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) count, designed to provide a snapshot of households experiencing homelessness on a single night, was conducted in Pima County on January 24, 2024. This survey was supported by the efforts of more than 500 community volunteers, government agencies, and partnering non-profit staff. The 2024 count identified 2,102 people in 1,503 households residing in shelter, transitional housing, or living without shelter in Pima County the night of January 23, 2024.

     

    The PIT count, which is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is used in program planning across shelter, housing, and supportive services. The count includes individuals and families residing in emergency shelter or transitional housing, as well as people living without shelter.

     

    These Point in Time Count results provide an overview of homelessness within the region, with total counts of all persons experiencing homelessness on the night of January 24, 2024 in Pima County, Arizona. Full detail of the data submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is also available at https://old.tpch.net/data/hic-pit/.
     
     
    Preliminary data demonstrates a decrease in the incidence of unsheltered homelessness. There are some factors that could have contributed to this, including high levels of rain this week that were accompanied by flood warnings and freezing conditions, causing some unsheltered residents to seek safety outside of the normal areas where people experiencing unsheltered homelessness regularly congregate. A fuller analysis of this data is forthcoming.
     

    While an imperfect measure, the annual count is an important tool used to inform priorities for federal, state, and local funding. It also helps identify trends and craft solutions for the needs of vulnerable individuals and families. The analysis and overall trend data are utilized by the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness as one of many tools to track progress toward goals to prevent, reduce, and end homelessness. Additional information about this year’s count and historical Tucson/Pima County PIT data can be explored at https://old.tpch.net/data/hic-pit/.

  • Summer Sun Respite and Cooling Stations Available for People Experiencing Homelessness

    Summer Sun Respite and Cooling Stations Available for People Experiencing Homelessness

    Pima County Heat Relief Resources: Cooling Centers and Summer Sun Respite


    In collaboration with the Pima County Health Department, the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness (TPCH) has released a list of all summer sun respite and cooling center sites for those experiencing homelessness in Pima County. This flyer is available for download from the TPCH website, but in addition, Pima County has made an entire heat relief webpage including a map of all summer sun respite and cooling center locations for the community to access. 

    In addition to these resources, Pima County has convened a Joint Heat Action Team (JHAT) to better coordinate services for those navigating extreme heat in our community. Several updates may support providers in better connecting those experiencing homelessness to heat relief resources. For providers interested in learning how to treat Heat Related Illnesses, training is available on the TPCH Online Learning Center. Click the “E-learning” link at the top of this page to access this training and more.

    A flyer including all summer sun respite and cooling center sites is available for download at tpch.net. This flyer will be frequently updated, so click below to access the most updated version. 

    Download the 2024 Summer Sun Cooling Station flyer (English and Spanish): 

    HEAT RELIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS 
     
    Additional Cooling Centers Open at Amazon Shelter

    Two new “COOLtainers,” provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the governor’s office, were placed at the Amazon Shelter, 1135 W. Miracle Mile, to provide a restful place for people to get out the sun and heat. The Amazon is a shelter operated by the Housing First Division of the City of Tucson’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

    HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday 12-5:30pm, operating until August 31, 2024

    AMENITIES:  In addition to the pods, HCD’s portable shower will be available at Amazon but that schedule has not yet been set. Inside the “quiet COOLtainer” there will be cots for individuals to nap or rest.  Both COOLtainers have television and staff is working on securing internet service for people to access Wi-Fi on their devices.  In the second COOLtainer there are board games, dominos, cards, adult coloring books, snacks, and hygiene items.

    211 Arizona to offer rides to cooling centers, respite centers, and hydration station sites during Arizona’s hot summer months

    Transportation through this program is not appropriate if you are experiencing any symptoms of heat-related illness or other medical emergency. Warning signs and symptoms of heat-related illness are available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

    If experiencing a medical emergency or any symptoms of heat-related illness, call 911 immediately.

    Eligibility – Rides may be provided to:
    • Cooling Centers: Indoor, air-conditioned locations that offer hydration.
    • Respite Centers: Indoor, air-conditioned locations that offer hydration and allow for uninterrupted rest, sitting, or lying down (depending on each facility) during hours of operation.
    • Hydration Station Sites: Locations where individuals can go to receive bottled water and other collected donated items. These can be indoors or outdoors.
    Riders:
    • Must be in a Lyft Service Area with a Cooling Center, Respite Center, or Hydration Station Site
    • Must be 18 years or older (unless accompanied by a parent/guardian)
    • Must be able to get into and out of a car, on their own, and without assistance
    • Must comply with Lyft’s Health Safety Commitment
    • Rides should be used when no other resources are available and to overcome short-term barriers.
    Rides will be provided as long as funds are available. More information can be found here https://211arizona.org/crisis/heat-relief/transportation/. 
  • City of Tucson Calls for Participation in Focus Groups on Unsheltered and Sheltered Homelessness

    City of Tucson Calls for Participation in Focus Groups on Unsheltered and Sheltered Homelessness

    City of Tucson Seeks Community Input on People, Communities, and Homes Investment Plan

     

    Join the City of Tucson and TPCH for an interactive discussion of the City of Tucson’s priorities as they relate to providing and funding services for persons experiencing homelessness.  In this special input session, TPCH member agencies and others working to prevent and end homelessness will have an opportunity to provide direct input into the City of Tucson’s next People, Communities, and Homes Investment Plan (P-CHIP) which guides the Housing and Community Development Department’s (HCD) non-profit grantmaking activities.

    During the session, attendees will be asked to respond to three priority questions:

    • What are the greatest challenges related to homelessness being experienced in our community today?
    • What strategies or priorities should the City use and fund to create the biggest impact toward ending homelessness?
    • What best practices are working locally or elsewhere that should be considered within the City of Tucson?

    Your input will directly inform the P-CHIP strategic plan and HCD’s funding priorities for the next five years.

    In-Person Event Details

    June 13, 2024 (9:30am-11am)

    320 N Commerce Park Loop – Sentinel Building

    Tucson, AZ 85745

    No registration necessary, please join us in person for this important discussion!

    Download the flier her: Focus Group_Homelessness_6.13.2024

  • TPCH 2024 Continuum of Care Board and Committee Election

    TPCH 2024 Continuum of Care Board and Committee Election

    TPCH CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD AND COMMITTEE ELECTION

    ALL VOTES ARE DUE BY 11:59PM TODAY Thursday, May 23rd

    ELECTION MATERIALS

    This package includes:

    • Overview of the election process and voting instructions
    • Roster of current members of TPCH General Council with voting privileges as of May 9, 2024
    • Roster of seated CoC Board Members
    • Roster of CoC Board and Committee candidates
    • Listing of CoC Board and Committee candidates with disclosed areas of expertise as defined by the TPCH Committee Composition Operating Policy and key diversity goals
    • Candidate statements of interest and affiliations
    • Overview of CoC Committee purpose and summarized responsibilities
    • Quick Reference tool identifying candidates by organization and bodies to which each candidate has applied

    TPCH Election Materials_Final

    VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

    Only one ballot may be cast for each TPCH voting organizational member identified in the membership roster.  Multiple votes from the same organization will not be accepted.

    Ballots may not include votes for more candidates than are eligible for election on any voting body. The ballot indicates the total number of votes that can be cast for each voting body.

    No individual may serve on more than two (2) elected bodies of the Continuum of Care (CoC Board + 1 Committee, or 2 Committees).

    No agency may have more than two (2) representatives seated on any elected body. If an agency has two (2) elected representatives on a single elected body, each representative will have one vote on all actions taken by the elected body.

    All ballots must be cast online no later  than 11:59pm tonight Thursday, May 23rd.

    Late ballots will not be accepted. Vote here starting Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 2pm. 

  • U of A Southwest Institute for Research on Women releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report

    U of A Southwest Institute for Research on Women releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report

     

    The University of Arizona 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.

    Download the report here.

    This most recent survey wave contains multiple positive developments:

    • The positive macroeconomic situation has continued to hold steadily at both the national and state levels.
    • The unemployment rate in Arizona, 3.8% in March 2024, is a modest decrease relative to 4.1% in February and remains below historical averages.
    • In the previous survey wave, collected February 6th-March 4th 2024, the proportion of non-current renters in Arizona was 6.3%. In the most recent survey, conducted March 5th-April 1st 2024, this proportion rose very slightly to 6.7%.
    • The proportion of these non-current renters viewing eviction in the next two months as “very likely” remained very low at 8.5% (9.9% last survey wave).

    Throughout all of 2023 housing insecurity among Arizona renters remained stubbornly high despite historically low unemployment. 

    • These last two survey waves contain the first clear signals that the breadth of housing insecurity in Arizona is easing substantially. 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 79% of non-current renters in Arizona are POC and 75% are low-income (based on the Census HPS data wave collected Jan 9th-Feb 5th 2024).
    • Mortgage holders in Arizona continue to be in a strong financial position relative to renters.
      • Only 4.2% reported being not current on mortgage payments (down slightly from 5.3% last wave).
      • Although among this small share of non-current mortgage holders concern about the likelihood of foreclosure in the next two months increased this wave to 16% from only 1% last wave.
    • Among non-current Arizona renters, the depth of rental debt has decreased.
      • This most recent survey indicates that, among Arizona renters who are behind on their rent, 66%, are only behind on their payments 1 month or less.
      • And 71% of non-current Arizona renters were only 2 months behind on rent or less.
      • 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.
      • This is a substantial slowdown in the rate of rental price increases we have seen in recent years. 
    • 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:
      • only 51% of all Arizona respondents reported they had not experienced pressure to move in the last 6 months, down from 62% of respondents reporting no pressure last wave.
      • 67% of Arizona renters reported an increase in their monthly rent in the last year (up from 57% last survey wave) and 50% reported an increase of $100 or more (up from 43% last wave).

      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 count of eviction filings fell 41% to 771 in April. We have not seen the monthly count of eviction filings this low since November of 2021.

      Other metrics suggest continuing reason for concern:

      • 12% 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 (66% 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 increase in calls related to housing and shelter and utilities in recent months.

      Download the report here.

    • TPCH 2024 Continuum of Care Board and Committee Election

      TPCH 2024 Continuum of Care Board and Committee Election

      TPCH CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD AND COMMITTEE ELECTION

      ALL VOTES DUE BY 11:59PM ON Thursday, May 23rd

      Please attend the General Council on May 9th when the voting materials for this year’s election will be reviewed.  Members of the TPCH General Council with voting privileges are eligible to vote on all vacant Board and Committee seats.

      ELECTION MATERIALS

      Stay tuned, as these election materials will be posted soon. This package will include:

      • Overview of the election process and voting instructions
      • Roster of current members of TPCH General Council with voting privileges as of May 9, 2024
      • Roster of seated CoC Board Members
      • Roster of CoC Board and Committee candidates
      • Listing of CoC Board and Committee candidates with disclosed areas of expertise as defined by the TPCH Committee Composition Operating Policy and key diversity goals
      • Candidate statements of interest and affiliations
      • Overview of CoC Committee purpose and summarized responsibilities
      • Quick Reference tool identifying candidates by organization and bodies to which each candidate has applied

      TPCH Election Materials_Final

      VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

      Voting will occur online, starting May 9, 2024. Stay tuned Thursday, May 9th for the posting of the ballot.

      Only one ballot may be cast for each TPCH voting organizational member identified in the membership roster.  Multiple votes from the same organization will not be accepted.

      Ballots may not include votes for more candidates than are eligible for election on any voting body. The ballot indicates the total number of votes that can be cast for each voting body.

      No individual may serve on more than two (2) elected bodies of the Continuum of Care (CoC Board + 1 Committee, or 2 Committees).

      No agency may have more than two (2) representatives seated on any elected body. If an agency has two (2) elected representatives on a single elected body, each representative will have one vote on all actions taken by the elected body.

      All ballots must be cast online no later than 11:59pm on Thursday, May 23rd.

      Late ballots will not be accepted. Vote here starting Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 2pm. 

    • TPCH Releases Application for Homeless Prevention and Rapid Resolution Funds Made Available by the Garcia Family Foundation

      TPCH Releases Application for Homeless Prevention and Rapid Resolution Funds Made Available by the Garcia Family Foundation

       

      Thank you to all case managers that helped apply for and distribute the TPCH Prevention and Rapid Resolution Funds through the community. We have spent all of our $400,000 dedicated to this program. Good news: we have received an additional $200,000, but there are some important things to note:

      • We need to add a more robust consent form to the application. There is a new consent section, which will now follow the Case Manager contact information section. The section includes a script for you to read to your client, as well as a link to another form to be filled out by your client directly. If you are filling out the application together, there is a QR code for the client to scan, or you can open the link in a new tab for your client to fill out. If you are filling out the application with the client on the phone, you can send the link to your client for them to fill out.
      • We are now only processing on Tuesdays.
      • To enable this funding to support households throughout the summer months, the total amount funded community wide will cap at $22,000 weekly based on the order we receive the documentation.
      • We have brought on a temporary worker to support this project so we can be more responsive and better stay on top of requests as they come in.

      The application link remains the same. Please continue sending documentation and all TPCH Prevention and Rapid Resolution Funds related correspondence to tpch-fund@tucsonaz.gov.

      We are still requiring interested case managers to watch the training video before applying for these funds. If you have not yet watched the training, you can access it at tpch.talentlms.com and search “TPCH Prevention and Rapid Resolution Fund” in the course catalog.