KOLD News 13Immigrant housing proposal now back in Benson

Immigrant housing proposal now back in Benson

By Jim Becker bio | email

Benson, AZ (KOLD News 13) - A new immigrant housing facility, one with soccer fields and basketball courts, will ultimately be decided by voters in a referendum, according to Benson's City Manager, Glenn Nichols.

That would be further than the previous proposal ever got.

Back in 2004, the city wanted to build a facility to house criminals from other countries, but so many people opposed the idea, it died before ever getting to voters.

However, the city says it has fine tuned its proposal, learning from past mistakes.

First, the new facility won't house criminals, rather children and their mothers, people with no place to go and possibly testifying against smugglers, or so-called 'coyotes'.

Second, whereas the earlier facility would not have generated any income for the city, save the jobs created, Benson will collect a $3-a-day sponsorship fee for each tenant.

Also, after 21 years, the city would become its owner.

"That's the greatest part of it, generating income," says Harold Sexton, owner of San Pedro Home Sales, a business located across the road from the location of the previously proposed facility.

"The city could put it in some new streets," he adds.

Council members are not making a decision at this week's meeting (March 8, 7pm). 

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