Updates and enhances the July 1998 study which found upon review of 35 county government programs in high growth regions that Pima County generally had lower expenditures per capita and limited impact fee and affordable housing measures, compared to jurisdictions with similar pressures. This study provides a summary of the recent data and an analysis of how Pima County compares in the areas of expenditues, impact fees, and affordable housing programs in counties in Florida, California, and other Western States.

The historical range of the ferruginous pygmy-owl included areas of southern Arizona, southern Texas extending south along both coasts in Mexico, through Central America into the southernmost population in Argentina. However, over the past 150 years urban and agricultural expansion within the United States has reduced its population to a few isolated pockets of uncertain stability.

Most of the owls until just the last couple of years have been found in residential areas in northwest Tucson. It take a lot of cooperation on the parts of private residents to help get the work done. These are incredible little birds that fill an interesting role in the environment since they are more diurnal versus nocturnal. Our objective is to gather as much information as fast as possible to feed into the process to make this County plan based on the best available science that we have.

Pima County contracted with Arizona Game and Fish Department to conduct telemetry analysis and gather information that would lead to effective conservation and recovery initiatives for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl. During 1997, banded birds were monitored. Beginning in 1998 and during 1999, pygmy-owls were radio-marked with backpack transmitters and followed on foot or by vehicle.

Upon adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, the Board directed staff to bring forward program proposals to implement the policies of the Plan at sixty-day intervals, beginning with mixed use and affordable housing programs.This study combined with the studies issued previously on the topics of housing and affordability in Pima County provide the information and options necessary to establish mixed use and affordable housing programs within Pima County.