Six lucky families will soon have a new three-bedroom home in Tucson’s Westside Barrio Hollywood area, a new development financed by Pima County general obligation bond funds.
“Adding new homeowners to Barrio Hollywood will help ensure it remains one of the most vibrant, most connected and most engaged neighborhoods in our community,” Pima County Housing Center Manager Marcos Ysmael said. “Homeowners are by definition invested in where they live. This complex will help six families put down roots here.”
To celebrate this event, a ribbon-cutting took place on March 28 at Casas Ontario, 1515 W. Ontario St., featuring keynote speaker and Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Elías.
Each of the six frame and stucco homes in the area has 1,320 square feet and features three bedrooms, two baths, portico entries and on-site parking. Built by Carrera Custom Homes, the project received a Silver Rating for energy-efficiency, indoor air quality and water conservation from the City of Tucson’s Residential Green Building Rating System.
Residents of the new addition will be chosen from the Pima County Community Land Trust Stewardship Program, which prepares families for homeownership. Each family is required to participate in workshops that teach financial literacy, home maintenance and financial planning.
Funding for this community project was obtained through a competitive application process joined into by several community organizations and government entities.
Pima County awarded $410,000 in federal HOME Investment Partnership Program funds and $400,000 in Pima County Affordable Housing Program Bond funds to the Land Trust. Additional funding came from the City of Tucson, the Pascua Yaqui Nation and the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation.
In an effort to preserve the historic and residential feeling of the neighborhood, several entities participated in the design efforts. They included The Planning Center, Wheat Design Group and the Barrio Hollywood Neighborhood Association.
Applications are being taken to find additional new residents for the Barrio Hollywood addition.