Tucson Secures $11.5M HUD Grant to Revitalize Mobile Homes

The city of Tucson has received an $11.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, aimed at supporting moderate- and low-income households living in manufactured housing. Local officials revealed this significant funding last week.

Tucson stands out as one of only 17 cities selected from 175 applicants to receive the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiatives for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grant. This funding is set to rehabilitate and replace old or unsafe residential units, enhancing their climate efficiency. Additionally, the grant will provide emergency eviction prevention and legal assistance to Pima County residents, both within and beyond city limits, to mitigate displacement risks associated with manufactured housing and mobile home lots.

The initiative targets residents primarily in the 85705 zip code, including areas around Flowing Wells, Benson Highway, and between I-19 and South Mission Road. Mayor Regina Romero emphasized that manufactured housing is the most economically accessible housing option in Tucson. “The funds will be used to weatherize housing, thereby reducing the financial strain caused by soaring utility bills in one of the fastest warming cities in the country,” she stated.

Romero further noted, “This funding will assist Tucson in cultivating housing affordability within communities that are particularly vulnerable to displacement.” Notably, manufactured housing and mobile homes constitute approximately 10 percent of all housing units in Tucson, a figure significantly higher than in other Western U.S. cities.

Data reveals that around 35 percent of Pima County’s manufactured homes were constructed before 1976, often featuring inadequate insulation and hazardous materials like fire-prone aluminum wiring. Tucson Housing and Community Development Director Ann Chanecka highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating, “Many of these homes provide shelter for vulnerable families and individuals who, if they didn’t have safe and adequate manufactured homes, could become homeless. The deterioration of aging manufactured homes is an overlooked aspect of the housing crisis.”