Urban Renewal in Tucson, Arizona

An Exploration of Tucson's Historical Neighborhoods Today and Practices that Shaped Their Current Race/Ethnic Composition


History of Tucson

Tucson, Arizona, has deep roots in Mexican and Indigenous culture and history. The Gadsden Purchase in 1854 incorporated the region south of the Gila River into the United States, leading to a period marked by conflicts with Apache tribes and the impact of the Civil War. In 1863, Arizona officially became a Territory, separate from New Mexico, and its population grew rapidly, attracting diverse settlers, including Mexicans, Mormons, and various immigrant groups.

Tucson witnessed an influx of settlers and became increasingly diverse due to the vast amount of land. The arrival of the railroad in 1880 further fueled population growth, bringing European emigrants, African-Americans, Asians, and Jewish settlers to the region. By the early 20th century, the Arizona Territory's population exceeded 100,000, leading to a push for statehood, which was granted in 1912 (Arizona State Museum, n.d.).

Tucson's ties to Mexican culture persisted, and the city maintained its diverse heritage. The Mexican influence is evident in the architecture, cuisine, and traditions that have shaped the city's identity. The historical neighborhoods of Tucson, reflecting its Mexican roots, should be recognized and celebrated as they are an integral part of the city's cultural fabric. Due to the historical influence of Mexican settlers and their pivotal role in Tucson's development, neighborhoods recognized as historic by the Tucson Historic Preservation Office should now predominantly consist of Hispanic or Indigenous populations.


Recent Tucson Historic Neighborhoods Race/Ethnic Composition

This map depicts 2021 race/ethnicity ACS block group data with Tucson neighborhood boundaries. The data has been filtered to block groups and neighborhoods that are historic neighborhoods according to the National Register Historic Districts. The map details White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, which are individuals who responded "No, not Spanish/Hispanic/Latino" and who reported "White" as their only entry in the race question.

As seen on the map, historic neighborhoods with current data predominantly consist of a White-only population (City of Tucson GIS Data, 2023).

*The map excludes the following historic neighborhoods due to shapefile; Barrio El Hoyo, Barrio El Membrillo, Barrio Libre, and Indian House.*

The next map displays Hispanic ACS data, revealing that neighborhoods with the most substantial Hispanic population are situated in the southern part of Tucson. The highest recorded percentage for Hispanics is 47.8%, whereas the White Only population reaches as high as 87.6% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021).

*The map excludes the following historic neighborhoods due to shapefile; Barrio El Hoyo, Barrio El Membrillo, Barrio Libre, and Indian House.*


How Did These Neighborhoods Look in the Past?

1930 Census Data

Due to the earliest Census data being aggregated to the state level instead of block groups or tracts an analysis has to be done to the city level. The data displays Tucson as having a population of 10,235 Mexicans (Hispanic was not an option for this survey) with Tucson's total population of 32,596 people, indicating all persons born in Mexico, or whose parents were born in Mexico was 30% of its Tucson's population (U.S Census Bureau, 1932). Issues of this data is enumerators were instructed to list Mexican Americans as white and a Hispanic category wasn't measured until 1970 (National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).

Other Ways To Try To Measure Race/Ethnic Composition

Earliest Census Data that provides tract level data was in 1960 for Arizona. However the race data measures was white and nonwhite creating an issue for Tucson since Hispanic populations were measured as White.

The 1960 Census did however measure the amount of people with Puerto Rican or Spanish names, which leads to a new way to measure the racial and ethnic composition (U.S. Census Bureau, 1962).

As seen in the map, a high concentration of people with Spanish surnames are within the western part of Tucson.

The 2021 data indicates a trend of decreasing diversity in historic neighborhoods, particularly in the western part of Tucson, where the White-only population is observed to be on the rise. This shift is notable, considering the historical settlement of a significant Hispanic population in this area.


What Factors Contributed to Tucson's Historical Neighborhoods Race/Ethnic Composition?


Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions

Mapping Racist Covenants

The Mapping Racist Covenants (MRC) Project focuses on exploring the history and impact of racist housing covenants in Tucson, Arizona, between 1912 and 1968. These covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CCRs) were implemented by real estate developers, homeowner associations, and other housing actors to actively discriminate against people of color and marginalized communities, preventing them from living in certain neighborhoods.

These Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions, or CCRs, actively discriminated African American, Asian, Mexican-American, Native American, Jewish individuals, and other marginalized populations from purchasing property. The following areas had restrictions as strict as saying "Whites Only". This "Whites Only" differs from Census Data, as it excluded other races and ethnicities from buying such property and limiting ownership to only Whte people.

Using the spatial data from the MRC project and filtering for historic neighborhoods, it is clear to see that many of these historic neighborhoods also had Racist CC&Rs that could have impacted their current demographic composition (Jurjevich et al., 2023).


Urban Renewal Practices

The 1942 study "Rehabilitation of Blighted Areas: Conservation of Sound Neighborhoods" deemed the different neighborhoods such as Barrio El Membrillo and Barrio Libre as blighted, describing it as having visible signs of inability to attract profitable investment. The study considered an "intermixture of racial or ethnic groups" as a characteristic of blighted neighborhoods, specifically targeting the barrios for major redevelopment.

Later In 1961, the city's Urban Renewal Director/Assistant City Manager issued a study that portrayed the district as afflicted by crime, fire, and juvenile delinquency. This led to the approval of the Pueblo Center Redevelopment Project in 1966, resulting in the demolition of 80 acres to the Tucson Convention Center and La Placita Village (Manser, 2012).

Tucson demolished the homes within this area which had a majority of Mexican Americans, but also homed many of Tucson's Asian and Black population.

Image is a map of the redevelopment project (Otero, 2010).

Shape E is Barrio El Membrillo, originally a Hispanic community dating back to the late 19th century. This historic neighborhood is omitted in the original map due urban renewal projects that destroyed the neighborhood.

The construction of I-10 in the early 1950s resulted in the loss of over half of the community, and in the late 1960s Barrio El Membrillo faced demolition to make way for the Tucson Convention Center (University of Arizona, n.d.).


Gentrification and Mercado District

1

Mercado District

The Mercado District, southwest of downtown Tucson, is rapidly transforming due to newer upscale developments, supported by tools like the Rio Nuevo Board. The Mercado District, once impacted by urban renewal, has become a thriving shopping center and community with houses designed for walkability and community engagement (Congress for the New Urbanism, n.d.). However, homes in the Mercado District, selling for over a million dollars, contrast sharply with Menlo Park, where the average house price is around 300k (Zillow, n.d.).

2

Menlo Park

West of the University of Arizona and near downtown, neighborhoods such as Menlo Park, a historic neighborhood, are facing increased interest from developers, leading to rising median rents. This neighborhood was predominantly Mexican-American from World War II settlers. However, now Menlo Park is gaining interest from students and young professionals due to the neighborhoods proximity to the SunLink Streetcar (Muñoz Murguia, 2022).

3

Gentrification

Menlo Park and other west side historic neighborhoods are facing gentrification challenges. Gentrification's impact extends beyond economics, affecting the social and cultural fabric of these neighborhoods. Longtime residents express concerns about newcomers complaining about established Hispanic culture and ceremonies in Tucson barrios, adding to the challenges faced by those who have called these neighborhoods home for decades (Muñoz Murguia, 2022).

Future of Tucson Historic Neighborhoods

The continuous southwestward push of Hispanic communities in Tucson raises questions about the city's future ethnic and racial makeup. While the Mercado District contributes to economic growth, concerns arise regarding the potential displacement of longtime residents and the erosion of cultural heritage.

As Tucson undergoes these transformations, it is crucial to consider the long-term effects on the diversity and identity of the city. Addressing gentrification requires a thoughtful, inclusive approach that balances economic development with the preservation of cultural heritage and the well-being of existing communities.

References

Arizona State Museum. (n.d.). Culture History of Southern Arizona: American Era. Arizona State Museum. Retrieved from https://statemuseum.arizona.edu/online-exhibit/culture-history-southern-arizona/american

City of Tucson GIS Data. (2023). Neighborhoods Dataset. Tucson, AZ: City of Tucson. Retrieved from https://gisdata.tucsonaz.gov/datasets/cotgis::neighborhoods-1/explore

Congress for the New Urbanism. (n.d.). Mercado District. https://www.cnu.org/what-we-do/build-great-places/mercado-district

Jason R. Jurjevich, Yoga Korgaonkar, Chris Kollen, Liz Wilshin, and Claire Holloway. 2023. Mapping Racist Covenants. Tucson, AZ. Retrieved from https://mappingracistcovenants.org/

Manser, J. (2012.). Zocalo Magazine. The 1960s, Urban Renewal, and Barrio Destruction. Retrieved from https://www.zocalomagazine.com/the-1960s-urban-renewal-and-barrio-destruction/

Muñoz Murguia, B. (2022, June 28). Rent hikes, downtown boom spur gentrification of older Tucson neighborhoods. Cronkite News. https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/06/28/tucson-gentrification-threat-downtown-neighborhoods-rent/

National Archives and Records Administration. (2002, Summer). A Prologue to the Census: An Overview of Censuses from 1790 to 1930. Prologue Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/summer/1930-census-perspective.html#f15

Otero, L. R. (2010). La Calle: Spatial Conflicts and Urban Renewal in a Southwest City. University of Arizona Press.

University of Arizona. (n.d.). A Guide to Tucson’s Historic Neighborhoods. Retrieved from https://capla.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/Guide%20to%20Tucson%20Historic%20Neighborhoods-Final.pdf

U.S Census Bureau. (1932). Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930. Volume III, Part I. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1932/dec/1930a-vol-03-population.html

U.S. Census Bureau. (1962). U.S. Censuses of Population and Housing: 1960. Census Tracts. Final Report PHC(1)-11. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Retrieved from https://www.socialexplorer.com/data/C1960TractDS/metadata/?ds=SE&table=T014

U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). B03002: Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race. Retrieved from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2021.B03002?q=Race%2Band%2BEthnicity&g=050XX00US04019$1500000&y=2021

Zillow. (n.d.). https://www.zillow.com

1930 Census Data