City Renews Star Village for Second Year
Tucson's midtown outdoor shelter pilot will continue after serving 138 people experiencing homelessness in its first year.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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The City of Tucson has renewed Star Village, a safe outdoor space in midtown that serves up to 25 women at a time. The program served 138 people experiencing homelessness during its first year as a one-year pilot.
Why it matters
The renewal signals the city's decision to continue a model that offers tents, beds, storage, and on-site services to people experiencing homelessness. Local residents and officials will now judge the program over a second year of operation.
The city reports 138 people served in the first year, with 27 transitioned into temporary or permanent housing and more than 42% moving on to shelters. Neighborhood violent crime fell 5% since the site opened, though the data does not detail the comparison period or the second-year budget.
The players
City of Tucson
The City of Tucson is the municipal government of Arizona's second-largest city, which operates and renewed the Star Village program.
Old Pueblo Community Services
Old Pueblo Community Services is a Tucson-based nonprofit that is taking over daily operations of Star Village from Primavera.
Primavera
Primavera is a Tucson nonprofit that partnered with the city on Star Village resident resources during the pilot year.
The details
Star Village is a closed campus with on-site case management, treatment connections, behavioral health services, and food, and each resident receives a tent, a bed, storage, and an assigned caseworker. Primavera and Old Pueblo Community Services partnered with the city during the pilot year, and Old Pueblo Community Services is taking over daily operations from Primavera.
Timeline
Star Village opened in midtown Tucson as a one-year pilot program.
The city renewed the program for a second year after the pilot year ended.
Violent crime in the surrounding neighborhood has dropped 5% since Star Village opened.
Season Trajectory
The renewal extends Tucson's one-year Star Village pilot into a second year, moving the program from trial to continued operation. Its first-year results, including 138 people served and 27 transitioned into housing, now serve as the basis for that decision.
Residents near midtown Tucson will see Star Village continue operating for a second year under the city's renewed agreement. Those experiencing homelessness can access tents, beds, storage, and an assigned caseworker at the site.
The takeaway
Programs that combine shelter with case management and treatment access can show measurable results, and Star Village's first year offers an early benchmark for Tucson. Watching whether housing transitions keep pace with intake in the second year will show how well the model scales.
Further reading
For more on local government programs, see Civic Engagement coverage across Tucson.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KGUN.
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