Once Invisible. Now Building Hope: Terrance Watkins' Approach to Housing in Southern Arizona
There was a time when Terrance Watkins felt invisible.He remembers riding his bicycle through the summer heat of West Phoenix, exhausted, homeless, and uncertain about what would come next. But what stayed with him was how people responded to him. Most would not even make eye contact. He remembers feeling as though he didn't matter. Today, Terrance serves as the Executive Director of Housing for Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona (CCS), bringing nearly two decades of experience in housing and social services to his work. His latest undertaking is an ambitious housing development in Sierra Vista that brings together transitional housing, affordable housing, workforce housing, and community services in one location. The project recently earned first place in the 2026 Southern Arizona Development Finance Summit's Innovative Development Project Pitch Competition, hosted by Tucson IDA and Groundswell Capital. For Terrance, the project reflects both his professional experience and a deeply personal understanding of the challenges facing individuals experiencing homelessness.
"I believe in housing first, but not housing only."It is a distinction that has shaped his approach to housing, recovery, and long-term stability.
A Personal Connection to the Work
Terrance's career in housing and human services began with experiences that few people in executive leadership can speak to firsthand. He experienced homelessness, incarceration, and the challenges of trying to rebuild his life after years of instability. He recalls leaving prison for the first time believing he was prepared to make significant changes. Despite his intentions, things did not go as planned. During his second incarceration, he met a man who would quietly separate himself from the crowd to read his Bible. Terrance noticed him and became curious about his commitment to his faith. Eventually, they began talking. One day, Terrance asked the man if he could pray with him. The man encouraged him to speak to God as naturally as he would speak to another person. The interaction had a lasting effect on Terrance. Within two days of leaving prison, he had found work in social services. He began building relationships with people who could support his recovery and personal growth.His first position was as a janitor. Over time, he moved into peer support, community outreach, program management, and housing services. Those experiences gave him a perspective that continues to influence his work today. He understands how difficult it can be to navigate social services, maintain stability, and make progress when several challenges are happening at once.
"I am very blessed to be put in a position to help other individuals and effect change." For Terrance, working in housing has become a way to apply what he learned through his own experiences while helping others navigate theirs.
Housing First, But Not Housing Only
After nearly two decades in the field, Terrance has developed a clear philosophy about what it takes to address homelessness effectively. He believes housing is essential, but providing a place to live does not necessarily resolve the circumstances that contributed to someone's housing instability. Financial challenges, unemployment, untreated medical or behavioral health conditions, substance use, and limited access to education or training can all affect a person's ability to maintain housing. Terrance believes these issues need to be addressed alongside housing assistance. In 2024, CCS strengthened its existing transitional housing program by introducing additional requirements around participation, individualized planning, financial education, and comprehensive support services. Participants receive assessments that consider their physical and behavioral health, financial circumstances, employment readiness, and individual needs. From there, they work with case managers to develop service plans that are reviewed and updated as their circumstances change. For some, that may involve accessing treatment or medical services. For others, it could mean returning to school, completing a certification, learning a trade, or developing financial management skills. The program emphasizes active participation, personal responsibility, and ongoing support. Since implementing the changes, CCS has reported significant improvements in housing outcomes, including participants successfully transitioning into stable housing and one individual purchasing a home with down payment assistance. Terrance sees these results as evidence of what can happen when housing programs focus on the broader circumstances affecting an individual's stability. His goal is to help participants develop the resources and skills needed to move into permanent housing and sustain their progress.
A New Approach to Housing in Sierra Vista
Terrance is now applying that philosophy to a proposed development in Sierra Vista, where CCS is working with community partners to address several housing needs through one coordinated project. The concept brings together three types of housing: transitional housing for individuals exiting homelessness, affordable housing for people with limited or fixed incomes, and workforce housing for individuals and families whose earnings make it difficult to afford market-rate housing. These are different populations, but many face similar challenges with affordability and access to services. Terrance wants the development to address those needs in a way that supports residents at different stages of their lives. A person transitioning out of homelessness may need intensive case management and employment support. Someone living on Social Security may need housing that remains affordable on a fixed income. A teacher, construction worker, or working parent may have steady employment but still struggle to keep up with housing costs. The project is designed to bring these housing opportunities together while connecting residents with resources that support their independence and financial stability. One of the central challenges has been affordability. Terrance has asked an ambitious question: could housing be designed so efficiently that some units might be available for approximately $400 per month? That goal has led to conversations about construction costs, energy efficiency, utility expenses, and long-term financial sustainability. CCS is exploring how a development could remain affordable without relying on ongoing government subsidies for its operations. To help explore these possibilities, CCS partnered with Arizona State University's Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, through The Design School, along with the City of Sierra Vista, the Sierra Vista Industrial Development Authority, and other collaborators. Through the partnership, students, faculty, and industry professionals have contributed ideas on design, affordability, and sustainable development. The collaboration has given CCS access to expertise and perspectives that are helping shape the project as it moves through planning and development.
Connecting Housing With Community Services
Another important part of the proposed development is a community resource center that would connect residents with services and resources in one location. Terrance has spent much of his career working with individuals who need several types of assistance at the same time. Finding those resources can be difficult, particularly when transportation, childcare, employment schedules, or health concerns create additional barriers. The proposed center would help reduce some of those challenges. Plans include opportunities for childcare, comprehensive case management, healthcare access through telehealth, financial education, employment assistance, and connections to other community resources. The goal is to make these services accessible not only to residents of the development but also to individuals and families throughout the surrounding community. This approach is consistent with the broader work of Catholic Community Services, which has served Southern Arizona since 1933. Across the region, CCS provides housing and shelter services, domestic violence support, behavioral health programs, early childhood education, and other resources for individuals and families. Its Pio Decimo Center in Tucson offers an example of how these services can work together. The center provides early childhood education, family support, financial empowerment resources, and access to basic necessities. Its early childhood program has earned a five-star Quality First rating. For Terrance, the Sierra Vista project presents an opportunity to build on that experience and create stronger connections between housing and services. He understands that someone may have stable housing but still struggle to maintain employment because they cannot access childcare. Another person may be ready to work but need healthcare or additional training before they can take that next step. By considering these needs together, CCS hopes to create an environment where residents have greater access to resources that support long-term stability.
A Summit Win That Created New Opportunities
In September 2026, Terrance presented the Sierra Vista housing initiative at the Southern Arizona Development Finance Summit, hosted by Tucson IDA and Groundswell Capital.The Summit brought together developers, financial institutions, nonprofit leaders, and community partners to explore opportunities for development and investment across Southern Arizona. As part of the event, the Innovative Development Project Pitch Competition gave participants an opportunity to present projects addressing important community needs. Terrance's presentation earned first place in the 2026 competition.The recognition was significant, but Terrance also points to the relationships that have developed as a result of his participation. One of the project's ongoing challenges has been coordinating the expertise, resources, and partnerships necessary to move an ambitious development forward. Since the Summit, Terrance has connected with additional organizations and individuals who can help address different aspects of the project, from financing and development to community services and implementation.Those connections have helped him identify potential partners and opportunities for collaboration that may not have emerged otherwise.For Tucson IDA and Groundswell Capital, Terrance's experience reflects an important purpose behind the Southern Arizona Development Finance Summit: creating opportunities for promising development projects to connect with the people, knowledge, and resources needed to advance them. The Sierra Vista project is still in development, with planning, financing, and coordination continuing among CCS and its partners. But the Summit has become part of that process, helping expand the network of individuals and organizations interested in supporting the project.
The Perspective Behind the Leadership
Terrance brings more than professional experience to his role.As a father of four and grandfather of three, he speaks frequently about family, faith, and the responsibility he feels to use his position to help others. He also remains open about the experiences that shaped his career. When discussing his accomplishments and the opportunities he has been given, Terrance is quick to acknowledge the role his faith has played in his life.
"This is not me. This is the blessings from a higher power."
His work today is closely connected to the challenges he faced years ago. Having experienced homelessness himself, he understands the frustration of navigating systems that can be difficult to access and the importance of having consistent support during recovery and transition. He also understands that people need different forms of assistance at different points in their lives. That perspective has influenced his work with Catholic Community Services and his commitment to developing housing programs that address more than the immediate need for shelter. The Sierra Vista initiative is an extension of that approach, bringing together housing, education, healthcare, employment support, and community resources in one proposed development. It is an ambitious project, and Terrance recognizes the amount of work still needed to make it a reality. But he also sees an opportunity to apply what he has learned over nearly two decades in housing and human services to a project that could serve individuals and families throughout Cochise County. For someone who once experienced homelessness and felt overlooked by the people around him, his current position carries a particular significance. Today, Terrance is helping shape the housing opportunities and support systems he understands from both sides. And through Catholic Community Services, he is working to make those opportunities more accessible to people throughout Southern Arizona.
Learn More About Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona
Since 1933, Catholic Community Services has supported individuals and families throughout Southern Arizona through housing, education, healthcare, and essential community services.
Website: https://ccs-soaz.org
About Groundswell Capital
Groundswell Capital is a mission-driven lending nonprofit dedicated to sustainable economic growth, focusing on clean energy, small business financing, and community development. By aligning financial returns with environmental and social responsibility, Groundswell Capital is helping to shape a resilient and equitable future for Arizona.
For media inquiries, contact:
RJ Encinas
Executive Vice President of Programs & Impact
Groundswell Capital
What a powerful story. Terrance Watkins' journey from homelessness to leading innovative housing solutions is a testament to the power of second chances and the importance of lived experience in shaping effective policy. His "housing first, but not housing only" philosophy—recognizing that stable housing must be paired with wraparound services like healthcare, job training, and financial education—reflects a deep understanding that true stability requires addressing the full complexity of a person's circumstances. The Sierra Vista project's ambitious vision of mixed-income housing at approximately $400/month, combined with a community resource center, could serve as a model for other communities grappling with affordability crises. Congratulations to Terrance and CCS on the well-deserved Summit win—here's hoping the partnerships forged there help bring this…