Arizona Watcher
Tenants at Tucson House say demolition and renovation work has released asbestos-laden dust, leaving many feeling unsafe and reporting sickness.
Resident Michael Gutierrez says he sweeps multiple times daily, is waking up coughing, and fears long-term cancer risk from the dust.
Other tenants report pervasive dust throughout apartments and say several people in the building have become ill as work continues.
The U.S. Postal Service briefly paused mail deliveries to Tucson House while local postal leaders and building management confirmed safe access to the mail area.
Gorman & Company acknowledged asbestos-containing materials are being removed and said licensed environmental-abatement contractors are performing the work.
The company said Terracon provides daily oversight, monitoring air quality, inspecting containment and conducting visual inspections and air-clearance testing before areas reopen.
The multi-year rehabilitation began in March, is expected to run through 2028, and is a roughly $200 million effort funded by public, private and nonprofit sources.
City officials say residents can choose to remain during construction or temporarily relocate to other city housing; plans call for repositioning Tucson House to a voucher-based housing model with fewer on-site units.
Tenants at the Tucson House affordable housing complex report asbestos-laden dust from ongoing renovation work has made them feel unsafe and sick. The city began renovations in March to address safety concerns; the project is slated to continue through 2028, and construction…