Imagine Greater Tucson 2010-11 Phase I Community Conversation and Survey Statements Related to Safe, affordable housing for all segments of the population

1	1. More residential buildings downtown = safety 2. higher density, w/out destroying old neighborhoods 3. more people friendly vs car friendly
2	A place that doesn't cost more than I can afford in housing, insurance, etc.
3	Addressing the elderly homeless problem
4	Affordable housing
5	Affordable housing is available for individuals transitioning from shelter/homeless
6	Affordable real estate
7	All of us thrive if the city grows. Property values go up, so do job opportunities. There is also better competition among schools.
8	All the homeless and poor...
9	Another VERY important factor that will keep people inside their homes instead of being out spending money is crime rate. Bad parts of town get abandon and became one of those areas that I wish to visit to support local business but I don't want to get killed doing that as well.
10	As a single woman, I never would've been able to afford a house on my own. Here, I've purchased 2 homes in 13 yrs.
11	As one who lives in mid-town, I am sick of the slumlord eye-sore trailer parks near Columbus and Pima and other areas. I'm not suggesting making the tenants homeless, but these eyesores have got to go and be replaced with higher quality (yet affordable) housing.
12	BECAUSE EVERYTHING, TAX, ETC., THAT THEY DO AFFECTS MY LIFE STYLE. I have a very limited income, as do thousands of others. We are being taxed out of our homes, doing with less services, doing with less that makes latter life more pleasant. We don't ask much - we just want comfortable living without a lot of hassle.
13	Being from NYC, I am used to going into a store and seeing people that truly care about their customers and their community. I only wish that there were less chain and big stores around town. I really do appreciate the downtown area and 4th avenue as much as I enjoy the foothills shopping area. The best part of living in Tucson is that once you leave the major shopping areas you go home to beautiful housing communities that are offset from the city side of Tucson.
14	Being homeless in the cold sucks, mountains are beautiful
15	Better finances and housing market (more job opportunity)
16	Better/more resources for homeless population
17	Clean safe apartment complex that is affordable
18	Compared to most of US, affordable housing. Even gas prices and some consumer goods are affordable.
19	Continued support for people in recovery from drugs, alcohol, prostitution, homelessness and mental illness
20	Cost of living, from the cost housing, food, gasoline
21	Current shelters are to limited and limiting and don't address the needs of the homeless during daytime hours. Opportunities for basic work and responsibilities would help restore self-worth and improve viable skills
22	Education is the key to an innovative and empowered society. We must invest in education to create a healthy, sustainable community. Education fights crime, homelessness, abuse and unwanted pregnancy, etc. etc.
23	Especially during the winter months as the climate being less than severe in more manageable from the standpoint of homelessness
24	Greater employment and housing opportunities
25	Home prices, rent, goods and service, etc. are all more affordable in Tucson than in other places that I have lived or that I have thought about moving to.
26	Homeless/street people
27	Houses are cheap right now because of the recession.
28	Housing affordability
29	Housing affordability and workforce access is a problem
30	Housing costs are still high compared to income because of land costs and government fees
31	Housing is cheap
32	Housing, health, food stamps and not available/coordinated for individuals entering our community
33	I believe a vibrant downtown is vital to a vibrant city. The west side museum projects and mission gardens, nice hotels in the city center, affordable housing, nurturing small businesses, adding the light rail will enhance the recent successes of downtown.
34	I can afford to live here. Housing is cheap. I can bicycle.
35	I can buy a bigger house for less money.
36	I have a 14 year old son. It is essential to our overall health to feel safe, secure, and live in well-maintained housing that is affordable
37	I have plenty of decent, affordable housing choices within close proximity to my job.
38	I like being outside. I like walking and biking and doing just about anything outside, it is so nice to do that here and so easy. Even in the summer when others are in I'm often out, it can be glorious in that regard. My bungalow is 400 square feet with no AC but the lot is almost 200 feet long and 60 feet wide with lots of space outside to garden and do woodworking projects, compost and raise worms to eat my garbage. These things would be a lot less enjoyable in Seattle!
39	I like not spending lots of money for decent housing.
40	I live in a lovely home, underneath the Catalina Mountains. My daughter lives in a much smaller home, right near a commuter train, in a high crime district in California. Her home is on a postage stamp sized lot, mine is on an acre and a half. Her house cost her $650,000, mine would sell for about $350,000.
41	I live in central Tucson. Because of our proximity to major streets, because of the number of ill-maintained cheap rentals, we have so much crime.
42	I live just west of downtown in the area most affected by the planned revitalization. So far, there is a wall and a few up-scale homes that no-one in the neighborhood could ever afford to purchase. There are so many wonderful things that could be happening: downtown as an all pedestrian area with restaurants, theater, music, outlets for traditional native crafts, the Stewart Boot Company (or similar), good art galleries (like Etherton), and trams to connect to all of it plus the Tucson Museum of Art and surrounding historic sites. 'A' Mtn. could be cleaned up and made into a safe place for walking, biking, and site seeing from trams for tourists, families, others who congregate - but no cars and no alcohol or drugs. The land west of the river should not just be another housing development. We need walkways, horse trails, an interactive science center, movie theaters, coffee shop, a Trader Joe's or Sunflower, a pool, a gym, boutique hotel, amenities that appeal to the neighborhood and to tourists alike. I personally resent the increase in my property taxes that was meant to reflect the higher values that Rio Nueve was going to create. I don't want lower taxes, I want Rio Nuevo!!
43	I was able to purchase my first home in Tucson and the cost of living is low
44	I work for non-profit and have a limited housing budget. I think there are a number of middle class professionals here who would like to be able to live in decent, yet affordable housing.
45	I would like every person in the city to feel safe and cared for: every child should get a good education, and every person should have access to affordable, quality health care; a safe place to live; food security; and the opportunity for regular (preferably meaningful, useful) work.
46	I've lived in Michigan and Ohio and I always felt safe and the neighborhoods I lived and worked in were always clean. In Tucson, I've had my car broken into, and we have an alarm system at home.
47	Important to feel safe in our towns and homes and feel we can play safely
48	Improve homeless situation
49	Increase availability of housing and jobs, modernize the community, contribute to a variety of businesses
50	Increase housing that is safe and affordable
51	Increased social services and resources for the homeless population
52	Inequalities of resources (schools, opportunities, jobs, housing, etc.)
53	Interaction and opportunities to meet people is very important - dispels feelings of aloneness, isolation, and frustrations often associated with being homeless
54	It is a bit confusing to have such lax zoning. You have million dollar homes less than a mile from the 'worst corridor' in the city, apartment complexes located in the middle of housing developments, etc...
55	It is an unsafe, unhealthy property that is attracting crime
56	It's ridiculously cheap to buy a house here.
57	Low cost housing for seniors (The Tucson House)
58	Low cost of housing
59	Lower-prices: you can afford a home
60	Many parts of tucson are unkept due to lack of pride of ownership - low cost or even no cost upkeep is disregarded
61	Mini-dorms in R-1 are unsafe, not neighborhood friendly and in the long run not good for the University community
62	More access to affordable housing
63	More affordable housing downtown
64	More facilities for the homeless
65	Our homeless population continues to grow at a rapid pace and the diversity has expanded to all walks of life in increasing numbers. This impacts the entire community and all people deserve a fighting chance at getting back on their feet.
66	Our underemployed population would be better served with more affordable housing options. The rates for small apartments is too high.
67	Parks are dangerous and hidden from the street - a homeless shelter
68	People make lots of money off of UofA students and then call the police for every little thing. Tucson City Code, Section 13-32, unruly gathering of more than 6 persons. Many landlords rent to more than 6 students, putting tenants in violation just by renting. Complaints can be made anonymously and student tenants have very little recourse.
69	Poverty/homelessness - quality of life
70	Provide affordable housing near where low-income people work and where they shop
71	Provide more Affordable Housing
72	Re-invent the transportation system for older adults and those unable to access traditional public transportation. Re-invent housing needs to better address and serve the individuals residing there.
73	Reasonable. You used to get more for your dollar here but under the circumstances due to the economy Ex. the cost of home values have gone down. hopefully that will change
74	Reduce the need to low-income housing/increase affordable housing
75	Rent is affordable, the apartments aren't too shabby. There are duplexes at reasonable prices.
76	Sonoran desert/Sky Islands: captures peoples' imagination and spirit. Appreciated by a large number of people=preservation. Not like Phoenix, which is just a cheap place to buy a home.
77	Stop gentrification of poor and historic neighborhoods - support more affordable housing
78	Suggest that ALL new residential construction should essentially break even on their electrical production vs consumption for the year. This cost is incurred only by those folks looking to buy a new home and actually pays for itself in the long run. If this became the new standard then years down the road overall electrical consumption is drastically reduced.
79	The Don Diamonds of the city have over built, with city government's blessing, leaving a lot of ugly empty buildings and a glut of housing. Let's stop the city-developer partnership and focus on utilizing the capacity we already have.
80	The accessibility - VanTran. Rebecca Roupp and community housing/involvement opportunities.
81	The current rates do not come near covering the actual cost of getting potable water to us, and new development is being permitted water privilege which endangers agriculture, residences, and natural environments all over the state.
82	The flatness of the desert lends itself to easier accessibility to homes and businesses yet I can see the mountains and drive to them.
83	The high cost of housing
84	The lack of housing that is affordable to all income ranges is a problem in Tucson. A study that identifies affordable housing needs and provides a housing needs assessment based on different income ranges will be beneficial.
85	The pay scale is low here, but the cost of living isn't that much better to make it comparable. There are too many people homeless and wandering the streets and we should figure out a way to get all the social service agencies together in one location downtown as well as provide housing, job assistance, recreation, etc. in one location.
86	The very reason that many of us are drawn to this area--the beauty of the Southwest--keeps getting gobbled up by endless sprawl. This is not a problem unique to Tucson, by any means, but it's sad to see the huge swatches of desert I remember from my youth plowed over to make room for more strip malls and cookie-cutter developments. We need to use in-fill and possibly build more vertically to preserve the outlying areas. At some point, if this valley becomes too developed, I won't want to live here anymore.
87	There are so many homeless people on the streets year round. Perhaps providing more programs for them to get back on their feet.
88	There is a persistent illusion that Tucson is a cheap place to live. It used to be, but not now. Companies are still paying $10.00 an hour but rent is $1,000 a month. We need well-paying jobs, so we can all pay our taxes. Something is upside down
89	This city has wealthy opinion leaders, but also a large number of low income families barely making it. When polls are done or policies set, the second group is often ignored. There is a need for more affordable housing for people with disabilities and low income families.
90	This is particularly important to me because I work with Seniors, who buy houses or mobile homes out in the desert. They they can't get public transportation, they have to pay separately for the fire department and trash collection, and they complain about many other things. If the City and the County laws and taxes mirrored each other, there would be less incentive to tear up the desert, and there would be enough income from taxes to pay for services.
91	Tucson has a thriving arts scene, but emerging artist could use more support in terms of materials, housing, and funding. avenues to public funding are often not available to individual artists, or groups without 501c3 status.
92	Tucson has such potential to be a much better place to live. The downtown (which should be the heart of Tucson) is dead because most jobs there are government dependent. We need more private sector opportunities in the downtown. Too much 'affordable housing' and no upscale housing which would support 'life' in the city.
93	Tucson is NOT Phoenix and should never hold Phoenix up as a model. The community has a rythmn, a pace, a quality of life. There should be every opportunity sought to expand on improving the quality of life - improve housing, parks, public transportation, bike paths, running paths, connectivity throughout the community.
94	Tucsonians are generally friendly people. The community seems to be connected. Food banks, Mental Health centers, homeless help for all--including veterans. Resources to get employed.
95	Uneducated people are more likely to be jobless, homeless, or criminals
96	View of homelessness: its not always what it seems
97	We can afford to live in a very nice house and we (and our kids) can afford to participate in a lot of activities.
98	We live very comfortably in our 1950s centrally located home. When we anger at our conservative right-wing elected officials we often think of leaving AZ (after 35 years) but as retired teachers could not afford to live in California. We were married there and have thought about this move.
99	We want to feel safe in our homes
100	When we moved to Tucson in 1965 we so much enjoyed the Hispanic influence here, the colorful housing that was so much a part of Tucson, the joy of visiting a pleasant neighbor city to the South: A peaceful Nogales Sonora. We loved taking visitors from out of state to visit Nogales and see the vibrant colorful community that it was. When visitors would ask 'Are we safe walking the streets of Nogales?' I would be proud to say, 'I feel much more safe walking the streets of Nogales Sonora then I would be walking the streets of my home town of Detroit.'
101	Will encourage development of downtown and access between campus and downtown - student housing downtown
102	You can actually afford to buy a home here