North Austin News

The City of Austin is making significant progress in its efforts to address homelessness and provide pathways for individuals to exit homelessness. At a recent City Council work session, the Homeless Strategy Office and Housing Department presented updates on the expansion of emergency shelter capacity and the development of permanent supportive housing projects.

David Gray, Homeless Strategy Officer, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to tackling homelessness, stating, "We are moving full steam ahead in partnership together to build our entire system infrastructure. We don't have the luxury of choosing between more shelters or more housing – we need both." Gray expressed pride in the strides the city has made in closing the gaps in the homelessness system.

One notable achievement highlighted in the presentation is the record-breaking number of clients who utilized shelter services in Fiscal Year 2023, with 3,324 individuals seeking shelter. Additionally, Austin is surpassing other U.S. cities in the percentage of clients successfully exiting shelters, with 60% finding rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, reunification with family members, or other positive resolutions.

While currently only 3% of individuals are leaving shelters for permanent supportive housing, city leaders anticipate that this number will increase in the future. New units are expected to become available soon, and there are plans for further expansion. Permanent supportive housing not only provides a home but also offers wrap-around services such as access to mental health care and case management. It is projected that the number of permanent supportive housing units will grow by 630% by 2026, with over 1,000 new units.

James May, the City's Housing and Community Development Officer, highlighted Austin's success in outperforming the national average for major cities in terms of its homeless response system. May stated, "We expect a 300% growth in permanent supportive housing this calendar year, and that number should continue to rise as we approve more loans and financing for additional developments through 2026."

The City's Homeless Strategy Office and Housing Department have outlined their next steps in building pathways to exit homelessness, which include:

- Expanding emergency shelter capacity

- Increasing the number of permanent supportive housing units

- Collaborating with community partners to provide wrap-around services

- Developing affordable housing options

- Strengthening coordination and communication between service providers

Interim City Manager Jesús Garza praised the cross-departmental collaboration and emphasized the importance of a "City first" approach in addressing critical needs within the community. Garza stated, "This is a great example of what it means to be 'City first' when it comes to addressing critical needs within our community. And I think that's the kind of collaboration that we need to be doing in this organization to continue to succeed."

The City of Austin remains committed to addressing homelessness and providing resources for those in need. To learn more about the available resources for individuals experiencing homelessness in Austin, please visit the official website at www.austintexas.gov/homelessness.