Voces de Casa Maria

Tim Steller’s column: PCC board deserves flexibility on preserving old Tucson motels

< 1 min read“Go up and down Tucson’s old tourist strip, and you’ll catch intriguing glimpses of the city’s past. Old motor courts, symbols of a new way to travel when they were built in the mid-1900s, line old U.S. Highway 80. You can follow them along East Benson Highway, South Sixth Avenue, North Stone Avenue, West Drachman Street, North Oracle Road and West Miracle Mile. Some are still functioning as motels, mostly low-end operations. Of course people want to preserve these old places, especially the cool signs. Preservationists crowded a Pima Community College board meeting May 22 to insist that the board

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Casa Maria Soup Kitchen buys South Tucson motel for affordable housing

< 1 min read“A group that’s been helping the homeless for decades is trying something new to get at one of the root causes of homelessness. Casa Maria has purchased the former El Camino Motel on East Benson Highway to turn it into affordable housing. The El Camino Motel will have 20 units and the average monthly rent will be $600-700. Right now, there are no plans to kick out anyone currently staying at the motel. There will also be a couple of vacant rooms each night, for those who just need a temporary place to stay. “We’re trying to buy places where

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