TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In the serene area of the Santa Cruz River Wash, there's a large tree with its branches spanning several feet. While it may look like a regular tree, inside is filled with furniture and the branches split the area underneath the leaves into rooms.
Perdita has lived in the tree and created it into her home for the last 10 years.
"People say 'okay well where do you live?'" She said. "I say underneath a beautiful tree."
After her divorce, she moved from Phoenix to Flagstaff and then, 10 years ago, she came to Tucson.
"I was married for 14 years," she said. "I had the house and the kid and did all that."
She moved to Tucson after she lined up a job.
"I got the gig before I arrived like I came here for my job," Perdita said. "I was working, slinging hot dogs for a lady with a private contract in front of the Harvill building and I made the Daily Wildcat twice."
Perdita was one of the people that the volunteers for the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness interview during the annual point in time count.
"I saw a plethora of situations and all i know is that every life matters," Phil Pierce, one of the team leads, said.
The volunteers interviewed unsheltered people to get a snapshot of how many people are sleeping on the streets and give them resources. Pierce said they came to Perdita first.
"We did an assessment with her, we have her a $5 gift card and a list of resources," he said.
And for Perdita, she's not planning on leaving her home any time soon.
"As long as the good lord wants me to be here at home, I mean it is my home," Perdita said.
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