Information for the Catalina Community

Affordable Housing Programs - "Pima County actively seeks opportunities to develop and improve housing for its low-income residents in the rural areas and communities that are experiencing distress."  more information

Pima County Community Services Department 

• Pima County offers programs to assist eligible first-time homebuyers. Programs are available throughout Pima County and include down payment/closing cost assistance, construction of new homes and resale of existing homes. Call (520) 243-6752 (Homeownership Programs) and contact Marcos Ysmael.
• Home Repair Programs - Home Repair Programs - Home repair grants and loans are available for Roofing, Heating/Cooling, Septic System Repair, Weatherization and other needed home repairs. These programs serve homeowners (includes owners of manufactured homes) in unincorporated Pima County earning below 50% of the county's median income. Call (520) 740-5243 and contact Maria Soto.
• Home Improvement Loan Program - Bank of America offers home improvement loans at below market interest rates for eligible low and moderate-income homeowners. Loans are available from $1,000 to a maximum of $25,000, with terms from 3 to 20 years. Call (520) 740-8217 and contact Betty Villegas.

US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
A number of buyer assistance programs for low income families are available through HUD
more information

Habitat for Humanity - Builds homes for low-income families to purchase with a sweat equity requirement and 1.5 down payment and no interest on the balance, which is paid over 20 years. A Family Selection Committee selects families. Call (520) 326-1217 and contact the receptionist.

Project PPEP - PPEP provides job training, rental and homeownership housing and economic development, emergency and disaster assistance, farm-worker employment training, job counseling and placement, food, clothing and rental assistance, behavioral health and substance abuse counseling, programs for developmental disabled adults, services to the elderly, and micro-business loans. PPEP provides technical assistance services and loan funds to community housing development and farm worker housing organizations. Call (520) 622-3553.

Southwest Fair Housing Council - This agency investigates housing discrimination and provides outreach and education regarding Fair Housing Laws to community residents and housing providers. Call (520) 798-1568 and contact Rick Rhey or Fax at (520) 620-6796.

Primavera Builders - Primavera Builders build affordable and energy-efficient homes for low-income families and provides construction-training programs that employ the homeless, working-poor and youth at risk in the construction of these homes. Down payment and closing cost assistance is available for the homes built. Call (520) 882-5383 and contact Celia Mendivil.

TMM Family Services Inc. - Provides 1st-time homebuyer assistance for low-income people at 80% or below Tucson median income, including closing costs and down payment, along with providing assistance with rehabilitating existing homes. Builds single and multi-family housing and provides low-income rental housing. Provides housing counseling services, and is in the process of becoming a HUD-approved counseling agency. Call (520) 322-9557 and contact Tamara Prime.

Tucson Urban League - Susan Lintgen (Housing Department Head). The Tucson Urban League, Inc. was incorporated in 1971. It addresses problems related to minority unemployment and lack of economic opportunities. The agency offers an array of services including employment training, emergency assistance, youth education and delinquency programs, technical assistance for businesses, and housing programs, including a "Home Start" comprehensive counseling program. Other programs include home purchasing, major and minor rehabilitation and weatherization programs for low-to-moderate income families. Call (520) 882-4872 and contact B.C. Robinson.

United Housing & Educational Development Corp. - United Housing specializes in the acquisition and development of affordable building sites. It operates the Rural Development Self-Help program where the prospective homeowners build their homes, thereby providing sweat equity. The agency provides pre-and post-homeownership credit counseling, processing and loan packaging for prospective homeowners, technical assistance in construction of homes and their maintenance, technical management assistance to other non-profits, technical assistance in the Urban Self-Help programs and works with the City of Tucson and Phoenix metropolitan areas. Call (520) 825-7942 and contact: Carlos Carranza or Cora Esquibel.

USDA Rural Development - Rural Development offers two types of home ownership loans: guaranteed and direct loans. The purpose is to provide financing, with no down payment and at favorable rates and terms, including those with interest rates as low as one percent for qualified persons either through a direct loan with Rural Development or with a loan from a private financial institution, which is guaranteed by Rural Development. These loans are for the purchase, construction, rehabilitation, or relocation of a dwelling and related facilities for low or moderate- income rural persons.