Addressing homelessness is focus for Tucson nonprofit

“Homelessness is like poverty,” said Tony Simms, Chief Executive Officer of Compass Affordable Housing. “It is symptomatic. It is pointing to something else and that something is really human development. It indicates that people are struggling with human development individually — issues such as mental health or substance abuse — as well as structurally. People may have had structural barriers such as incarceration or placement in juvenile services early in life, they have experienced discrimination, or they may not have attended good schools. If you can put them into a healthy, stable system and wrap them with social support for a longer period of time, the more stable they become.”

Established in 1996, the nonprofit offers three affordable housing complexes comprised of 144 units. Each complex features affordable rent, including utilities, and support services.

The facilities also focus on different needs: One is tailored to people living with disabilities; one caters to veterans and seniors; and one is for those recovering from substance abuse.

Simms, a Tucson native with decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, strongly embraces the approach referencing the physical, cognitive and psychosocial development of humans throughout their lifespans in order to effectively address homelessness.

“What are the biological, social, environmental and economic inputs that impact us from beginning of life to end of life? Let’s start addressing those early indicators from a young age. That approach from the ‘womb to the tomb’ is what helps us be more progressive and forward thinking,” he said.

The perspective explores the stagnation and regression of human development in Pima County and is shaping the future and strategic plan of Compass. Simms believes that in addition to providing shelter, food and basic needs in the short-term, true change and stability stem from long-term intervention for a minimum of 60 months. This contradicts the typical expectation that people will move through shelters in three to six months (or 12 to 18 months for those in recovery).

“When a person suffers structural or individual issues, they have neurological responses to them,” Simms said. “If you can put them back in a healthy, stable system and wrap them with social support, it takes time for their neural networks to reform in a healthy way and for their emotions to stabilize — that usually takes five or seven years. The longer time period you can give people to support them, the more stable they become as long as the inputs are healthy.”

With the most recent Point-in-Time statistics identifying 2,218 individuals experiencing homelessness in Pima County, the comprehensive human development plan makes sense, according to Victor Hightower, creative and marketing coordinator for Compass.

“We want to know what in the course of development brought you to this point and what the community can do to keep people moving forward. We are looking at the whole system: What does education have to do with it, how does poverty and overall health play into it and how does affordable housing fit in? We can’t look at just one aspect, because they are all tied together,” said Hightower, who has worked with the homelessness for more than a decade and has a lived experience with substance use disorder.

Central to the Compass solution is the proposed development of 50 to 100 new tiny homes, mobile homes or other affordable housing units over the next 10 years.

“We want to find a housing model that works well for the individuals who consume the houses and for the community,” Simms said. “Our effort is around moving people back toward market rate. In building these homes, we want it to be systemic. We want transitional living for periods of time that people can get stable and healthy and we will be working with them to find jobs and build their knowledge and skill sets around employment so they can progress ... we can never build enough houses to satisfy the need if people are not moving back toward market rate conditions. That in itself helps Tucson stay in a place of equality.”

Simms is also building collaborations with GAP Ministries and other nonprofits; city and county government agencies; and local businesses in the effort. He understands that the expansion of tenant services provides clients with various avenues of support that allow them to grow where they are and that they will eventually share their experiences with others who are unhoused.

“As we bring them forward, they, too, can join the fight to bring others forward,” he said.

He also encourages continued dialogue between various community factions about the issues facing people living on the streets.

“There are lots of layers,” Simms said. “There are advocate groups who believe that people should be allowed to live in parks and washes and other areas. I believe that people have the right and ability to choose how they live as long as that does not infringe on others’ rights and they are not breaking the law. The debate is how do you ensure you get people the help they need without compelling them unnecessarily to get that help ... and we need to work hard in offering people opportunities, whether that is shelter, transitional housing or permanent housing.”

Ultimately, Simms is determined to build the Compass brand and promote awareness about its services. He is committed to raising $200,000 in seed capital over the next two years for an employment program that will provide job connections and entrepreneurial services. A hands-on social enterprise program will offer integrative training in customer service, money and inventory management and more. Additionally, an after-school program will teach business and life skills to at-risk youth.

“We are working to create an identity for Compass, which has been around for 18 years. It is a very well-run agency structurally and is one of the best hidden secrets in Tucson. When people understand how effective it is, I think they will join us in terms of building an ecosystem that Tucson needs on a larger scale,” Simms said.