Jesús Garza, Interim City Manager | City of Austin website
Jesús Garza, Interim City Manager | City of Austin website
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin City Council has unanimously approved an eight-month extension to the contract with Endeavors, the organization operating the temporary emergency homeless shelter at the Austin Convention Center Marshaling Yard Warehouse. This extension ensures the shelter's operations will continue at least through March 2025.
Austin’s Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray highlighted the positive impact of the Marshaling Yard Emergency Shelter, stating, "The Marshaling Yard Emergency Shelter provides compassionate care to 300 clients daily and the rate of clients exiting the shelter successfully continues to climb." Gray emphasized the importance of emergency shelter capacity as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness, including case management, mental health care access, and housing opportunities.
Gray also mentioned the shelter's goal of serving 800 individuals experiencing homelessness yearly, with 596 individuals already served under the original 12-month contract. Services provided at the shelter include case management, transportation, meals, pet-friendly accommodations, laundry facilities, showering amenities, wellness activities, and outdoor space.
The extension of the shelter operations will cost $500,000, bringing the total agreement amount to $9.64 million. This initiative is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support emergency shelter and crisis services. Gray presented the need for the extension to the City Council, citing data showing a requirement for 815 permanent shelter beds for individuals without children in Austin.
Despite progress in adding 200 beds to existing shelters, there remains a gap of 615 beds to meet the demand of Austin’s unsheltered homeless population. Gray noted the positive outcomes achieved, with a 20% positive exit rate from the Marshaling Yard, indicating clients moving into housing. This success reflects the efforts of the City of Austin and homeless service providers in improving key outcomes for those experiencing homelessness.
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