After 20 years of living with the threat of UA expansion and neighborhood deterioration, residents in the East Sixth Street area might soon see some improvements.

The UA, along with the City of Tucson and the Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association, will be applying for Housing and Urban Development grants to help revitalize the neighborhood.

"Twenty years ago, Rincon Heights was an attractive area," said Marvin Feld, Rincon Heights representative. "Over the last 20 years that neighborhood has deteriorated because people weren't sure what the university was going to do."

Bruce Wright, the University of Arizona's director of economic affairs, said he is unsure how much money the neighborhood would receive from the grants, but did say the chances of getting the grants are better with the three groups applying together.

Wright said the grants would be used to help restore the neighborhood south of East Sixth Street to its former splendor and revitalize businesses along the campus' southern boundary.

In a step to reassure the neighborhood's residents last week, the Arizona Board of Regents unanimously approved a UA proposal to realign the university's South Campus Planning Boundary south of East Sixth Street. The proposal, approved by the Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association and the Tucson City Council, will return 26 acres to the neighborhood and will spare about 70 homes in the area from being taken over by the university.

The UA will acquire 10 acres to be used for off-campus family housing.

One HUD grant would try to reduce the number of absentee owners who rent out most of the houses or land in the area by giving preference to buyers who wish to live in the neighborhood.

Wright said if property owners return to the neighborhood and live in their houses, owners would show they care by making property improvements.

The UA will help in this process, he said, by selling houses it owns in the area back to people who intend to live in the neighborhood.

"Some of the houses the UA owns outside of the (new) planning boundaries will be sold and rehabilitated."

Another grant would assist merchants with the rising cost of maintaining their businesses in high-profile areas through rent assistance.

Wright said many businesses cannot handle the rising costs of renting space, especially if new buildings are put up to replace older, decrepit ones.

Ward 6 Councilmember Molly McKasson said she was pleased with the agreement and efforts the UA is making. She told regents the relationship between the UA, the city and the neighborhood has been rejuvenated.

"It's really fun to be involved in the community's redevelopment," she said.