Code enforcements remain a concern for Tucson neighborhood

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Neighborhoods bordering East Ft. Lowell Road met with Tucson police about crime concerns on Tuesday.

“The camps were spilling over into the wash,” said Robin Quinn, the President of the North Dodge neighborhood association.

Quinn said their neighborhood has dealt with encampments in empty lots and washes.

“We’ll see camps show up with multiple tents and residents that live in there,” said Quinn.

She said the city’s new online reporting tool has helped and the areas get cleared out quickly.

“I think it gives residents an easier way to report,” said Quinn.

Quinn said the empty lot near East Fort Lowell Road and North Alvernon Way used to be filled with encampments but have been cleaned up by the city. The neighborhood’s latest concern has been code enforcement she said.

“It happens within pockets, it’s probably one of the most complained about issues within our neighborhood association,” said Quinn.

In 2022, more than 6,500 cases were created for various code enforcement inspections in Tucson.

Quinn showed KGUN 9 an apparently vacant house in her neighborhood with trash, empty boxes and furniture on the lawn.

She said this is just one example of the code enforcement issues neighbors have concerns about.

“Excess cars, garbage, vacant houses that aren’t being kept up…” shared Quinn.

While the online reporting tool has helped decrease encampments in Quinn’s neighborhood, she’s encouraging people to report the code enforcement issues to the city in hopes that they too will decrease in time.