How Austin Will House 3,000 People in Three Years (April 2021)

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1. The Plan

  • At the Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin this spring, community leaders released a plan to rehouse 3,000 people experiencing homelessness in three years.
  • The plan would provide 2,300 rental units and 1,000 supportive permanent housing units to those in need. It includes funding for up to 4,000 units.
  • Additionally, the city has set aside funds for homelessness prevention services, with the goal of helping 7,500 people.
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This plan would house 400 people by December 2021, 1,200 people by October 2022, and 3,000 people by April 2024. This plan has already begun, and community leaders have released the plan to the public partly in an effort to hold themselves accountable.

"The goals are met through a combination of rehousing interventions including, but not limited to a radical expansion of affordable housing and near-term rehousing strategies to rapidly reduce encampments...A series of 24 targeted rehousing activations, which are immediate opportunities for our neighbors experiencing homelessness to move to housing, will take place over the next 18 months with the goal of rehousing more than 1,200 people. Rehousing activations are a proven practice that supports the rapid rehousing of individuals and the management of shared public spaces. Additional elements of the plan range from one-time rental assistance to permanent housing subsidies and wrap-around services known as permanent supportive housing." - Summit Press Release

2. Community First! Village

3. The Heal Initiative

This initiative would also ban camping in the four areas that unhoused people are removed, likely in summer 2021.

Housing options for affected folx include:

  • rapid rehousing (short term rental assistance/services)
  • permanent supportive housing
  • housing-focused shelter

People will also be connected to medical, behavioral, and substance use services.

Policing and citations cannot be used to enforce the upcoming camping ban as part of this initiative.

4. The Hotels

In early 2021, the city approved purchasing two hotels to house people experiencing homelessness. This housing would also provide job, health care, mental health services. The funding came the police budget cuts in 2020.

5. The Vouchers

As part of the plan to house 3,000 people in three years, the city and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin have announced 125 vouchers for permanent supportive housing.

These vouchers can be used at four properties in Austin to cover rent for up to 20 years.

These vouchers are designed to help people get back on their feet, and have a space to thrive.

The Plan Sources

Community First Sources

Heal Initiative Sources

The Hotels Sources

The Vouchers Source

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