| Villegas, a Democrat, replaces former Rep. Andres Cano, D-Tucson. Her appointment brings the 60-member House of Representatives up to full capacity just in time for the scheduled resumption of legislative business July 31. Villegas brings a focus on housing and homelessness to the Legislature, supervisors said in selecting her from a field of three nominees. Villegas is the housing and community development director for South Tucson. Previously she was program manager of Pima County's Housing Department before retiring in 2016. She also serves on the county's affordable housing commission. She was appointed Villegas County board to fill a vacancy in 2020, a post she held until the term ended in 2021. She is the founding member of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, a national group, and current President of Los Descendientes de Tucson. She is a lifelong Tucson resident. Villegas will serve out the rest of Cano's term, which expires in January 2025. She told The Arizona Republic Monday that, if selected, she would run for the full two-year term in 2024. |