By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Tucson is looking to update zoning codes to increase the number of homeless shelter options across the city and is seeking input from the community.
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The effort is in response to the city’s housing and homelessness emergency, which was declared by the mayor and council in February 2026.
Following this year’s Point in Time count, the city was deemed to be in a housing and homelessness emergency. The count, which determines how many people experience homelessness on one given night, showed that Tucson has around 1,200 people sleeping on the streets every night.
“But we know that’s a vast undercount. So we know there’s at least 2,000 people usually on any given night experiencing homelessness, and we only have 700 beds available in shelters,” said Sarah Meggison, planning manager for the City of Tucson Planning & Development Services Department.
Meggison said there are barriers right now to the city creating more beds.
“Currently our zoning code is really restrictive, and there’s very few places in the city of Tucson that would allow shelters to exist,” Meggison said.
Meggison said that is why the department is trying to change those codes to allow for shelters to be built quicker and in more areas across the city.
“The way shelters operate today are vastly different than the way the code was written. So providing more shelters that are for families, not just single people, providing flexibility in shelters,” Meggison said.
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Meggison said the goal is to create more facilities like the Wildcat Inn shelter, but with fewer steps in the creation process. The process would model what is seen in different areas in California, where the number of shelter beds reflects the Point in Time count.
The proposal is not a solution everyone in Tucson is on board with.
“Those are all in residential areas surrounded by neighborhoods,” said April Bundrick, a Tucson resident.
Bundrick lives in Tucson with her young child and is worried this may mean a potential increase in crime in her area.
“That means, you know, as our kids walk to school, not only are they battling the bus stops, but they’re also gonna battle walking past a homeless shelter, and that’s not really a safe environment,” Bundrick said.
The city has been hosting feedback meetings where residents can voice concerns and provide input on the project.
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The city will have meetings at Park Place Mall in early October.
- 5-8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2
- 12-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3
- 12-4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4
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