DSNA Meeting Minutes: April 2026

Minutes Date

Call to Order: 7:04pm

Attendance/Introduction Question: Christy Stewart, Laiken Jordahl, Aliyah Cardenas (Ward 1), Kiana Necoechea, Karen Greene, Natasha Winnik, Sky Jacobs, Alexis, Sophie, Evern (Housing and Urban development), Johanna Hernandez (Deputy Director for Housing of Community Development), Sanjay (City of Tucson Housing), Megan Barnes (Tynan Group), Dan Phifer, Chuck Nysteun (Tynan group), Mark Goehring, Alexander, Jacob Hardy, Ariana (District 5)

Changes/Approval to Previous Month’s Minutes: No Changes, Approved.

Treasurer’s report: $400.41. Change: Down $25 after making the Lisa Scoblink Donation

Announcements (External and Internal)

  • Karen - Last call for donation to Dunbar Coalition in Lisa Scoblink’s honor. We’ve collected $200
  • Karen - Library - Wednesday National Board Game Day, Downtown. Candyland, Risk, hungry hippo, etc
  • Karen - Desert Streams - If you know any local bands that want to submit one song. 25 bands get selected, Bands get $250. Anyone can stream these bands online for free.
  • Ariana from district 5 introduced herself. She is our new point of contact there.

Discussion

1st St and 11th Ave Housing development - Update and Q+A from HCD.

Johanna Hernandez, deputy director for housing of community development. EPHD is the developer for this site. 8-16 single family homes to be built for home ownership. Affordability will be determined on financing. Not all likely to have the same affordability. All homes will go into a land trust to ensure they remain affordable over time. Tynan Group was brought in as an owners rep. Building several other scale projects and contracted with Tynan for project management. A design build RFP is out right now and closes on May 8th. After that a shortlist will be created based on experience and qualifications. Those shortlisted will be asked for a design concept based on the guidelines provided by DSNA and HCD. The shortlisted people will need to present to the community at large towards the end of the summer. Expecting a contract to be awarded in Fall. After that community engagement will begin. Karen - In the recorder the land is listed as affordable in perpetuity. HCD has been reviewing the mixes on what makes sense for prices to make it affordable. Absolutely the maximum number should be majority affordable. Natasha- Single family homes and row homes are not the same. Evaluating the number of homes that might be built 8-16. The guidelines were sent with the RFP request. Natasha- Can the builder or architect be from the community? Those folks have already been selected already. They are local and not participating in the bidding process. Panel selections have already been made, there will be more community engagement throughout the process, even more than Stone and Speedway.

Chuck Nysteun (Tynan Group) - They are an owners rep for the city of Tucson. Their role is to act as an extension of the city guiding from early project to completion. They act as the city's eyes and ears supporting the city managing and coordinating, timeline, schedules budgets, obtaining permits and plan reviews. Commitment to the neighborhood: maintain clear and open communication, minimize impacts, coordinate construction activities in a way that’s respectful for the community, provide updates to the city at key milestones. Environmental site studies, survey work. Mark asked about knowledge of being in an old cemetery. Karen - who is the point of contact for the neighborhood? Direct questions to HCD/Johanna for now, as it becomes further along that may change. The goal is to work with the city of Tucson and manage the project effectively.

Stone and Speedway - Update and Q+A from HCD

Two phases that will total 119 units. Next community meeting this summer. Application for the LIHTC award has been submitted and they are expecting announcements June 1st. They have a high degree of confidence that this project will be awarded. Phase 1 would be about 18 months from the LIHTC being awarded. The community was asked about the name of the project. Idea as of now: A name that honors Cicero Simmons, Morgan Maxwell, Paul Lawrance Dunbar. Numeric Name (Ten 39 Stone), Stone & Speedway. We had discussion about naming preferences and the majority agreed a name honoring a prominent figure from the neighborhood would be best. More community meetings and discussion around names to come this summer.

Board Elections

A slate of board members was put forward based on the nominations. The slate was unanimously approved by a vote of 13-0. Below is the new DSNA board effective immediately.

DSNA Board

  • President: Andy Noble
  • Vice President: Sky Jacobs
  • Treasurer: Laiken Jordahl
  • Secretary: Christy Stewart
  • Parliamentarian: Still available if anyone is interested!
    Mark Goehring requested the minutes reflect great appreciation for anyone that has served as officers now and since the beginning of the DSNA. Christy will be absent from meetings June, July and August and someone will need to step in to take notes for those months. Dustin agreed to take notes for those meetings if they are virtual.

Reports From The Field

  1. 11th Ave & First Street - See Above
  2. Downtown Links - No Updates
  3. Stone/Speedway - See Above
  4. WAMO (Warehouse Arts Management Organization) - No Updates
  5. Quick Zone Celebration - Request for a topic of discussion in next month’s meeting.
  6. For The Good Of The Cause - Future Topics
    1. How do we make the board position more collective?
    2. In-person vs Google Meet going forward?
    3. Quiet Zone Committee

Adjourn: 8:25pm