Tucson Mayor Demands County Action on Fentanyl Crisis, Pushes for Detox Services

Mayor Regina Romero calls out Pima County to stop “throwing money away” as the opioid epidemic ravages the community

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero is pressing Pima County to immediately invest opioid settlement funds in critical detox and treatment services, warning that without action, officials risk squandering a historic opportunity to address the community’s fentanyl crisis.

“The City and the County can do amazing things when we focus on solving issues. We worked together to navigate COVID-19, surges in legally processed asylum seekers, and other challenges that have required both collaboration, partnership, creative solutions and acting swiftly to address the challenges of the moment,” she said.

“Today, the joint crises of homelessness and affordable housing and the opioid/fentanyl public health epidemic are presenting a similar challenge. According to the last point in time count, sheltered homelessness is growing. Unsheltered homelessness remains consistent, even with all of the services the city provides. The need for more low-barrier shelter is high. Untreated behavioral health needs and substance misuse, especially among our homeless neighbors, highlights the gaps in services that exist,” Romero said.

Romero challenged County Board Chair Rex Scott and supervisors to move beyond political finger-pointing and take urgent action on what she calls the “joint crises of homelessness and affordable housing and the opioid/fentanyl public health epidemic.”

“If we are not investing in filling the gaps in services that we have with these funds – then we will be throwing this money away,” Romero declared.

The confrontation comes as $31 million in opioid settlement money sits largely untapped, with only $8 million currently allocated through a request-for-proposal process. While those funds target youth prevention and peer navigation services, Romero argues they fail to address the community’s most critical need: detoxification services.

“We need to use opioid settlement funds to create the detox and treatment services we need, because we all know incarceration is not the goal, treatment and recovery is,” the mayor stated.

According to the latest point-in-time count, sheltered homelessness in the region is growing, while unsheltered homelessness remains stubbornly high despite city interventions. Romero noted that untreated behavioral health needs and substance misuse among homeless residents highlight severe service gaps.

The mayor praised some county efforts, including the Transition Center, but emphasized it doesn’t provide detox services—”one of the biggest gaps in services and one of the most significant needs in our community.”

Romero’s frustration appears to stem from months of delayed collaboration. She has been requesting a joint meeting with the Pima County Board of Supervisors since March, with a date only recently confirmed.

“Residents are demanding we take action on the fentanyl epidemic and homelessness,” Romero said, calling on all government partners to match the city’s urgency. “Tucsonans, in fact, all Pima County residents, deserve nothing less.”