By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – As summer temperatures continue to soar, Tucson is bracing for more dangerously hot days ahead. But for the city’s most vulnerable populations, the triple-digit heat is not just uncomfortable — it is a matter of life and death.
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At Anza Park on Stone Avenue during peak heat hours, those living on the streets say that despite the availability of city cooling centers, they often feel like those doors are not open to them.
“We’re literally in hell right now,” said one person trying to survive without adequate cooling and water in temperatures exceeding 105 degrees.
William Taylor Sr. has been living on the streets on and off for five years. He said the intense weather forces people to make daily adjustments just to cope.
“It’s been getting super hot out here so we are all having to cut our hair a lot more often,” Taylor said.
To escape the sweltering temperatures, Taylor relies on the city bus system.
“You’re emotionally and physically worn out from the heat, and when you get on that bus, that cool feels so good you just fall right to sleep,” he said.
Taylor was so exhausted from the conditions that he briefly dozed off mid-sentence, adding, “See how I just dozed off like that? It took a split second because of the heat.”
Arthur Hunter, who lives near the park, watches the crisis unfold daily. Hunter previously experienced homelessness and substance abuse before securing an apartment and a job at Goodwill. He hopes local leadership will take notice.
“I hope that our city can look at this population and we can do something for the people because a lot of them are going through a lot of stress and trauma in their life,” Hunter said. “I know there are the cooling centers we have throughout the town, but a lot of our homeless feel unwanted.”
“They’re not what it’s cracked up to be. It sounds better than what they actually are,” Taylor said the centers.
Taylor described the facilities as uninviting for the unhoused population.
Hunter noted that a lack of communication exacerbates the issue, as many individuals do not have phones, or have had them stolen.
“A lack of information is probably what’s the biggest problem for a lot of homeless,” Hunter said. “They don’t have the information.”
For those who do find information, timing poses another barrier. Rhonda Elliott learned about the Ward 6 cooling center from a flier. However, by the time she arrived by bus at 5:30 p.m., the doors were already locked.
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“It would be helpful if they would at least stay open until like 6, 6:30,” Elliott said, noting she was just looking for a cool place to wait “until that sun goes past the mountains, because it’s still hot. It’s windy, like a hot blow dryer coming at you.”
After missing out on the daily bed lottery at the Sister José Women’s Center, Elliott prepared to camp outside in the elements. Her only reprieve was a new tarp she found to add to her encampment.
“It was a bonus day that I got another thing to add for the rest of the summer to make sure I can be covered from the sun,” she said.
The stakes are historically high. According to the Pima County Health Department, there were 117 heat-related deaths in the county last year, with people experiencing homelessness accounting for roughly a quarter of those fatalities.
Advocates emphasize that the heat compounded by other vulnerabilities — including a lack of access to SNAP benefits, high rates of substance abuse, and exposure to physical violence and sexual assault on the streets –creates a compounding humanitarian crisis.
For Hunter, addressing the issue requires a shift in how the community views its neighbors.
“I feel like we throw them away,” Hunter said. “If you don’t think it affects you, it’s affecting you because this is our community. If it affects one person, it affects us all.”
Find a cooling center in Pima County with this interactive map.
From Monday, June 1, through Wednesday, Sept. 30, the City of Tucson will operate cooling centers across the community to provide temporary designated areas for the public to utilize and escape the heat during peak hours.
Tucson has five city-operated cooling centers that will be open daily from noon-4 p.m., including holidays observed on Friday, July 3 (Independence Day observed), Saturday, July 4, and Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day).
- Donna Liggins Center, 2160 N. 6th Ave.
- Fred Archer Center, 1665 S La Cholla Boulevard
- Freedom Center, 5000 E. 29th St.
- Morris K. Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road.
- Randolph Center, 200 S. Alvernon Way
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