Evidence Before Conclusions
Distinguish sources, calculations, interpretations and open questions.
About the Project & Founder
From Personal Experience to Public Accountability
The story behind an independent public-interest initiative examining housing funding, transparency and community outcomes.
Founded by William Connell · Tucson, Arizona
01 / Meet the Founder
A Personal Beginning. A Public Purpose.
The Housing Accountability Project was founded by William Connell, a longtime Tucson resident whose firsthand experience with homelessness and housing assistance programs inspired a broader effort to understand how public housing resources are managed and what results they achieve.
After more than five years experiencing homelessness, William became familiar with the challenges of navigating housing agencies, eligibility requirements, referrals and waiting lists.
In March 2026, an apartment opportunity ultimately fell through. His questions about that experience gradually developed into a wider study of public housing records, program administration and reported community outcomes.
The experience explains the project's origins, but its research is intended to stand on documented evidence rather than personal testimony alone.
Education and Background
William completed his bachelor’s degree at the SUM Bible College & Theological Seminary in three years, graduating summa cum laude in 2016. His studies began in Houston, included a brief period in Daytona Beach, and continued primarily in Sierra Vista, Arizona, where he also completed his internship. The school was based in Oakland, California, where his graduation ceremony took place.
02 / How It Began
From Questions to Systematic Research
What began as an effort to understand an unsuccessful housing placement developed into research about municipal housing programs, federal allocations, financial reporting, performance records and measurable housing outcomes.
William began reviewing City of Tucson documents, HUD publications, annual housing plans, financial disclosures and public meeting records. These sources describe reported achievements as well as areas requiring further explanation or verification.
His approach emphasizes preserving original sources, comparing figures drawn from matching periods, distinguishing plans from completed activity, and tracking unresolved questions without assuming misconduct.
Project Timeline
Personal Experience
Years navigating housing instability and assistance programs.
March 2026
An unsuccessful apartment placement prompts closer questions.
Research Develops
Funding, official records and outcomes are systematically cross-referenced.
Public Initiative
Research and limitations are made accessible through a public website.
03 / A Broader Public Purpose
Research That Stands on Its Evidence
The Housing Accountability Project is an independent, nonpartisan, noncommercial public-interest research initiative. It aims to recognize documented successes, identify questions that need clarification and make complicated public housing information easier to understand.
Clarity About Uncertainty
Explain reporting differences, missing records and the limits of available evidence.
Public Understanding
Recognize progress, invite correction and explain findings clearly.
04 / Looking Forward
A Local Beginning with Room to Grow
The project now publishes research on Tucson and Pima County and on Phoenix and Maricopa County. William's vision is to grow this dependable public research resource into other communities. The goal is to encourage informed discussion, constructive engagement with public agencies and a clearer understanding of whether housing investments achieve their intended purposes.
The project was born from personal experience, but its mission is much larger.
Public Funding Deserves Public Understanding.
Follow the funding. Understand the outcomes.