Austin Council Members Call For New Housing-Focused Shelter With Support Services For People Experiencing Homelessness

On June 6, Council Members Kitchen, Pool, Harper-Madison, Renteria and Ellis called for a new Housing-Focused Shelter with support services for people experiencing homelessness.

The resolution (Item 49) directs City departments to move forward with purchasing property identified by staff for a Housing-Focused Shelter Pilot, identifying sufficient funds in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget to operate the shelter and services including funds for a Housing First Rapid Rehousing and/or Permanent Supportive Housing rental assistance and support services program for persons living in the shelter, and initiating the procurement of a service provider to operate the shelter.

“The time for action is now,” said Council Member Kitchen. “Austin is seeing an increasing number of people in our community experiencing homelessness. This Council has made reducing homelessness a top priority and providing a Housing-Focused shelter and services is a critical action supported by national and local studies. Austin is a great city; no person should have to live under a highway.”

“With the addition of a Housing-Focused Shelter Pilot, the City will work alongside agencies already serving our homeless neighbors,” said Melissa Daly, Executive Director of HomeAid. “This is a chance to put our intentions into action, learn from one another and capitalize on our resources and talents to solve for displacement. It is through housing and supportive services that those at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness can overcome barriers, find stability and even move their lives forward. We at HomeAid look forward to working with the council to make Austin a more inclusive place to live.”

“We need to provide for our most vulnerable residents,” Council Member Pool said. “This shelter won’t solve all of our problems, but it is a key step in implementing our Strategic Housing Blueprint and bringing us closer to a long-term solution for homelessness.”

“A home is the foundation to help people recover from homelessness and other conditions such as mental illness,” said Ellen Richards, Chief Strategy Officer of Integral Care. “We applaud the efforts of the City of Austin to create safe shelter that is one step on the path to supportive services and housing. All of us working together creates a stronger and healthier community.”

“There’s no silver bullet for ending homelessness,” Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison said. “Building more housing is a start, but we also need to provide compassionate programs such as housing-focused shelters that provide robust, substantive services that can pull our neighbors out of the cycle of poverty that has no place in a city as prosperous as Austin.”

“The simplest way I’ve heard to express our challenge is this: we have more heads than beds. That’s why people are forced to seek shelter on the streets,” said Council Member Renteria. “The work this resolution directs will help us provide the necessary shelter and services folds need to start on a path to permanent housing.”

Council Member Ellis added, “The National Alliance to End Homelessness has briefed us since we voted on this initial resolution in late January, and their recommendation tells us we are on the right track. Our goal of providing temporary shelter for individuals accompanied by an exit strategy of finding permanent housing is directly in line with their guidance. Separate from this agenda item, we are already working with other shelter programs that are focused on families to provide the most comprehensive portfolio of options for those experiencing homelessness.”