Cynthia Wasco at the Habitat Tucson build site

 Laura Sanchez, Habitat for Humanity Tucson

Our β€œhomes” have transformed into our workplaces, schools, libraries, day-care centers, gyms, parks. Sheltering in place means the front line of the COVID-19 crisis is at our own front doors, those very walls we shelter within.

And the inequity of housing has never been clearer.

You can’t shelter in place, self-quarantine, or even regularly wash your hands if you don’t have a safe and stable place to call home.

You can’t provide child care and education to your families or work from home if you’re living in substandard conditions, are overcrowded, or lack accessibility to the modern basics of a computer Wi-Fi and internet access.

Imagine living under the threat of COVID-19 in substandard conditions. Imagine sheltering in place under the threat of eviction.

With the spread of the pandemic, families are facing both a public health and an economic crisis.

As a precaution against the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the annual Christmas en el Barrio used a drive-thru style format to handout toys, gift cards and other items to children and families at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, on Dec 18, 2020. At 9 a.m. when the event officially kicked off there were over 150 vehicles in line. Over a thousand were expected to come through by the end of the day. A limited number of volunteers, which added up to just under 50, were present from Nova Home Loans and other community supporters to help welcome vehicles and organize and distribute over $1,600 worth of toys. (Josh Galemore / Arizona Daily Star)

The longer it takes Arizona to recover, the more this pandemic also becomes a housing emergency.

Habitat for Humanity Tucson serves low-income families in our community through a hand-up model of building affordable housing alongside volunteers with families who pay an affordable mortgage.

We also partner with seniors, veterans and low-income families to repair their homes and neighborhoods so they can age safely in place.

Our organization is one of the only affordable homebuilders in Southern Arizona. With new home prices skyrocketing every year, the American dream of owning a home is increasingly out of reach for deserving hardworking families. We have adapted our efforts to work during the pandemic.

Become a #ThisIsTucson member! Your contribution helps our team bring you stories that keep you connected to the community. Become a member today.