Hays Commissioners Approve Funding Agreement For HCWC Housing Project

Staff Reports

On Tuesday, the Hays County Commissioners Court held a discussion and voted to authorize the County Judge to execute a funding agreement between the county and the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center.

The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center is constructing a transitional housing facility aimed to help bridge the gap for victims of violence and abuse between residing in a shelter and obtaining safe, permanent housing.

The HCWC has requested $600,000 from Hays County, as well as funding from other agencies/groups, in order to construct the facility.

Commission Lon Shell said he’s been out there and seen some of the services the HCWC provides.

“It’s truly something very special to have the people that we have in our community working so hard on such an important issue,” Shell said. “We believed it would be a good idea for the county to commit to some funding to this project to help them continue to raise funds that they will need to construct this important project.”

Shell said the county has done funding agreements for similar agencies in Hays County including the Court Appointed Special Advocates’ facility on Hunter Road.  

According to a representative from HCWC, the county’s contribution of $600,000 would put the organization’s over $3.3 million in total campaign funds; the City of San Marcos is in the process of a funding agreement to contribute $400,000 to the project.

The project will focus on families with young children and will have head start and early head start programs in the project. There will be four 4-bedroom, twelve 3-bedroom and two 1-bedroom apartment units.

The cost estimate for the project is $4.3 million; however, the construction company who is partnering on the project is the process of running the estimate now.

HCWC said the plans are currently in the permitting process and hopes they will start construction on the project this fall. The facility will be on city land, which is currently leased by HCWC for $1 a month.

According to the funding agreement, the county would break the funding into two payments of $300,000. The agreement passed with a 4-0 vote with Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra absent due to a family emergency.