Experiencing homelessness in Tucson presents a variety of challenges for people struggling to access adequate shelter. 

According to a 2024 Point-in-Time count conducted by the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness (TPCH), 2,102 people in Tucson and Pima County are experiencing homelessness, including 1,503 in shelters or transitional housing, with the rest unsheltered. 

The latest report from TPCH indicates that though homelessness has decreased by 15% since 2023, it is up 53% since 2019.

Karl Wagner, outreach coordinator for Community and Workforce Development in Pima County, said financial vulnerability is a major cause of homelessness.

 “The majority of Americans are paycheck to paycheck,” he said. 

“Maybe a family emergency, a death, a medical bill, things of that nature, it can really have a drastic effect,” he said. 

Without a strong support system, many people are just one missed paycheck away from losing stable housing, he added.

Christopher Alvarado, 38, has been homeless in Tucson since 2021. Although he has faced his share of hardship, his experience, he said, hasn’t been as difficult as some others.

 “I don’t get harassed as much as I see other people,” he said. “When I walk the streets, people treat me fairly and pretty good.”

For many people experiencing homelessness, survival means making do with limited resources. 

“Some of us hustle and fly signs or things like that,” he said. And he appreciates the kindness of strangers who stop to say hi, provide resources or just interact with him.

“They come and spread their love, bring some food, because most of us don’t have money,” he said.

Living on the streets requires constant caution, he added. 

“It’s kind of hard to get rest, because you never know what might happen or could happen,” Alvarado said. “There are days when I just stay up, because I’m always by myself.”

He said he sleeps during the day and stays up at night to remain alert, fearing the risk of violence or theft. 

Growing up in Douglas, a small border town, shaped Alvarado’s understanding of survival, he said. 

“Either you work or you sell drugs, unfortunately,” he said, adding that many people misunderstand the difficult choices faced by people who are unsheltered in Tucson. 

“As stupid as it’s going to sound, it’s a way of life out here,” he said. “Everybody has a story to tell.”

For many people without stable housing, survival often means relying on public spaces for basic needs.

George Spurley works at the Circle K near Anza Park, where he said many people come in  desperate for food and water.

He said he has seen the local community step in to help unhoused neighbors where formal organizations sometimes fall short.

Still, shelters and structured programs can be essential, said Lucy Ulibarri, from Gospel Rescue Mission.

She said the shelter relies on volunteers, who begin their work with the organization with a tour of the facility. That allows them to see services like a year-long recovery program, housing, workforce training and rapid certification cohorts to help guests transition into stable, independent lives.

The shelter partners with more than 60 organizations, including Pima Community College, to provide educational opportunities. 

“We have 350 beds. We currently have about 300 people here now,” Ulibarri said.

Still, that’s not nearly enough for the needs of the Tucson community.

Despite these challenges, Wagner said, there has been a noticeable increase in community involvement. 

“In the last two to three years, I’ve definitely seen more and more organizations, more people, trying to help out,” he said.