MAP White Papers

Where in Tucson do insecurity and manufactured housing overlap? The growing need for affordable housing has sparked renewed interest in manufactured housing (MH) as a way to expand housing options for low-income populations. However, MH remains an understudied, often denigrated...

The health and social well-being of a region is closely tied to performance in all facets of human development. Improving healthcare quality and affordability is among the top priorities of the U.S. government. To improve healthcare, it is important to...

Farm-to-school programs encourage local food purchasing by schools and school districts as part of their efforts to provide fresh, healthy school meal options for students and engage students in nutrition education. Farm-to-school programs are part of a broader local foods...

The United States Southwest is experiencing what some believe to be the worst drought in 500 years (Kuhn, 2016). Studies have projected that the region will experience a more arid climate and higher risk of water shortages over the coming...

There is a void in knowledge about the health, social, and economic well-being of chronically homeless women in Tucson, Arizona. Our goal is to provide important gender-specific information and perspectives on homelessness as it impacts women. To do so, is...

Research indicates that ‘hot spots’ of police reports for violent crime tend to coincide with high density areas of alcohol-serving establishments. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC’s) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control recommend that metro areas...

The Tucson nonprofit sector is a rich and vibrant community, with thousands of organizations working towards a common goal of improving and enriching the lives of Southern Arizona’s population. Much of our regional identity is associated with charitable giving and...

The early years of a child’s life lay the foundation for future learning, development, and lifelong health. Rich, stimulating environments promote development, while early negative experiences can carry lasting deleterious effects. With the majority of parents of young children in...

Extreme weather impacts the economy of cities across the Western United States in many ways. Since 2010, the state of Arizona has lost more than $3 billion in direct damages from extreme weather. Averaging $500 million per year, losses equal...

Farmers’ markets have grown recently in both size and number across the United States and in the Tucson Urban Area (TUA). Farmers’ markets are sites where fresh, local produce is sold direct to consumers by farmer vendors. Their history in...