What is Public Housing?
Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Public housing comes in all sizes and types, from scattered single family houses to high rise apartments for elderly families. The City of Tucson owns and manages over 1,500 public housing units located throughout the city. The public housing unit portfolio includes elderly/disabled high-rises, multi-unit housing complexes, and scattered site single family homes. View examples of public housing units.
Who is Eligible?
Public housing is limited to low-income families and individuals. The City of Tucson Housing Authority determines your eligibility based on:1) annual gross income; 2) whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status. If you are eligible, the Housing Authority will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. Housing Authorities will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or on the project's environment.
How Do I Apply?
Various Public Housing Waiting Lists opened on July 31, 2013..
How Does The Application Process Work?
The Housing Authority requires an application to be completed online in order to collect the following information to determine eligibility: (1) Names of all persons who would be living in the unit, their sex, date of birth, and relationship to the family head; (2) Your current address and telephone number; (3) Names and addresses of your current and previous landlords for information about your family's suitability as a tenant; (4) An estimate of your family's anticipated income for the next twelve months and the sources of that income; (5) The names and addresses of employers, banks, and any other information the HA would need to verify your income and deductions, and to verify the family composition; and The PHA also may visit you in your home to interview you and your family members to see how you manage the upkeep of you current home.
How is Rent Determined
Your rent would be based on your family's anticipated gross annual income less deductions, such as: $480 for each dependent; $400 for any elderly family, or a person with a disability; and some medical deductions for families headed by an elderly person or a person with disabilities. The formula used in determining the Total Tenant Payment is the highest of the following, rounded to the nearest dollar:
- 30 percent of the monthly adjusted income. (Monthly Adjusted Income is annual income less deductions allowed by the regulations);
- 10 percent of monthly income; (3) $50 minimum rent
How Are Properties Managed?
The City’s public housing units are managed by five property management offices that are responsible for the day to day operations of the properties. Each office has a property manager, a property management assistant, and a routine maintenance technician. This team is responsible for rent collection, routine maintenance, annual lease certifications, and lease enforcement. Each team is responsible for 250-400 units.
What Services Are Available To Public Housing Residents?
A variety of services are available to public housing residents.
Elderly/Disabled High Rises
- Resident Councils
- Laundry Rooms
- Food Programs
- Social Programs
- Computer accessibility
- One facility has a small grocery store, a thrift shop and a library
Family Units
- Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program
- Resident Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Program
The FSS program is a voluntary program available to families who receive rental assistance through the City of Tucson’s public housing and Section 8 rental subsidy programs. Participants must have a genuine desire to work toward a living wage career.
Participants set and meet long and short-term goals for education, training, career development and job retention. The program’s main focus is to help participants reach self-sufficiency so that they no longer need to depend on public assistance programs in order to provide for their families. Homeownership, savings and financial education are also encouraged. Approximately one-third of our graduates move on to homeownership. This is a win-win situation for the family and the community!
The ROSS program provides public housing residents with supportive services, resident empowerment activities, and assistance in becoming economically self-sufficient.
Optional Contact Person or Organization Form (HUD Form 92006) Use this form if you need to designate an alternative, emergency contact person. The form is available in English and Spanish. Fill out the form and return it to: Housing Management, 310 N Commerce Park Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745.
For additional Information on our Public Housing Program select from the following links:
What Is The Address And Telephone Number Of The Housing Office?
The address for the Main office is 310 N. Commerce Park Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745. The telephone number is (520) 791-4742.