Tucson will adapt a vacant fire station into a resource center with low-barrier transitional housing in a neighborhood just north of downtown.The first-of-its-kind renovation could prove to be a model for the city as it seeks to fill the gap in housing and shelter needs.The pilot project is part of Tucson’s Housing First Program, which provides outreach, shelter and housing services for homeless people. The project will transform the vacant Fire Station #8 on West King Road in the Amphitheater neighborhood, which is known as the Amphi area. The station will be converted into a day-use resource center with a mix of congregate and noncongregate shelters.The project will include 35 microshelters in the backyard area, each with air conditioning and electricity, while the kitchen, bathrooms, and showers will be communal.“It’s the only Housing First project in the Amphi area and we know there is a significant unhoused population in the area,” said Anne Chanecka, the director of housing and community development. “This is designed to fill a critical gap and provide resources in an area that needs it.”The Tucson City Council on June 18 unanimously passed a motion to rezone the facility from Medium Density Residential Zone to a Planned Area Development, despite the disapproval of the zoning examiner. During a hearing on May 2, the zoning examiner voted against the rezoning for density reasons, noting that the proposed density exceeds the density recommended in the North Stone Neighborhood Plan.Some neighbors also voiced their opposition, citing concerns of safety and security in the area, and people loitering in …
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