City of Austin adding space at some existing shelters, planning temporary ones

KVUE
Author: Britny Eubank
Published: 12:26 PM CDT May 15, 2023
Updated: 5:46 PM CDT May 15, 2023

AUSTIN, Texas — In a memo sent to Austin City Council members on Friday, Interim City Manager Jesús Garza provided an update on the City's efforts to increase capacity at its shelters for people experiencing homelessness.

Garza stated that ECHO, or the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, estimates there are over 5,000 people experiencing homelessness in Austin and fewer than 900 of those people currently receive some form of shelter. He said he has directed City staff to work with community partners to identify resources for longer-term shelter.

As a first step, Garza said the City will create space for an additional 130 people at its Northbridge and Southbridge shelters by shifting rooms from single to double occupancy.

The City also intends to establish one or more temporary shelters. The first of these will be at the Marshalling Yard, a City-owned facility located on Airport Commerce Drive near the intersection of US 183 and State Highway 71. Garza said a portion of the 70,000-square-foot building will be used to shelter people experiencing homelessness. The expectation is that the Marshalling Yard will provide up to 300 additional beds for a period of approximately a year.

Garza said the City is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to secure a nonprofit social services provider to operate the Marshalling Yard temporary shelter. More than $9 million of unencumbered homelessness funds from the American Rescue Plan Act will also be used to support the shelter.

Garza also stated that the City is working to increase the number of people in Austin who can be housed in Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) from just over 1,000 to 2,500 by the end of 2024. The following PSH projects are expected to open soon:

• Balcones Terrace, which is being developed by Foundation Communities, is expected to open in July. It will have 50 units of dedicated PSH as well as 73 other "deeply affordable units," according to Garza
• Espero Austin at Rutland, a 171-unit project created through a partnership between Caritas of Austin and the Vecino Group, will have 101 units set aside for people who have experienced homelessness
• Pecan Gardens will be a PSH project for older adults, created through a partnership between the City and Family Eldercare. Renovation on Pecan Gardens started this month, and the development is expected to eventually provide 78 studio units