In July of 1995, the Austin City Council, in response to concerns voiced
by the general public and by business leaders, considered adopting an ordinance
to ban camping in public places. The Council directed City staff to convene
an ad hoc committee, The Homeless Resolution Task Force, to consider a proposal
to create a public campground for homeless people. The Task Force conducted
a community needs assessment, identified community resources and service gaps,
and outlined a continuum of care, or range of services, for homeless individuals.
In January of 1996, the Council adopted a no-camping ordinance and voted
to establish an official City task force on homelessness. The task force developed
a comprehensive plan of action that the City could use to address homelessness.
The Homeless Task Force became an official planning body of the Community
Action Network (CAN) in 1996, and in December of that year published A Comprehensive
Plan for Addressing Homelessness in Austin/Travis County. The plan included
goals and potential resources to support a full continuum of services, to
prevent and reduce homelessness. This plan was a first large-scale effort
in the Austin/Travis County community to assess the local homeless situation
and to identify ways to address it. Development of the plan was conducted
with participation from all sectors of the community, including service providers,
business persons, community based organizations, religious organizations,
neighborhood associations, homeless advocates, community members, and homeless
and formerly homeless individuals. The Comprehensive Plan has served as the
area's strategic plan for helping homeless persons to achieve self-sufficiency
and is incorporated into the City of Austin's Consolidated Plan which is updated
yearly. The Comprehensive Plan also served as the basis for the Homeless Task
Force's 1997 Implementation Options report which identified strategies to
reach the goals set in the Comprehensive Plan.
The Comprehensive Plan and Implementation Options reports were also the foundation
for a major local initiative to address homelessness in Austin and Travis
County. The City of Austin's commitment to achieving the goals of the community's
plan was demonstrated through the development and implementation of the Homeless
Self-Sufficiency and Responsibility Initiative ("Homeless Initiative"),
approved by the Austin City Council in April 1998. The goal of the Homeless
Initiative is to help homeless persons to achieve self-sufficiency while also
holding them accountable for their actions. The Homeless Initiative is based
on recommendations in the Homeless Task Force reports. The City has provided
financial resources to implement projects that respond to the most critical
gaps identified in these plans and has added several components including
the Downtown Austin Community Court. The partnership between the CAN Homeless
Task Force and the City of Austin has resulted in development and implementation
of many of the recommended services and in funding plans for the remainder.
Some of the major projects/activities that have been achieved since the Comprehensive
Plan was created are described below.
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A. EMERGENCY SHELTER
Any facility, the primary purpose of which is to provide temporary or transitional
shelter for the homeless in general or for specific populations of the homeless.
Most serve specific sub-populations including single adults, families with
children, survivors of domestic violence, youth and pregnant and parenting
teens.
1. SHELTER FOR MEN
The City will build a new downtown shelter designed for people who have lived
in homeless situations for a long period of time. The shelter will be housed
with a day resource center and a health clinic. It will provide 100 beds for
men and is expected to be completed in July of 2003. The additional 100 beds
will bring the total number of shelter beds for men to 267.
2. EXPANDED SHELTER FOR HOMELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
- The new SafePlace shelter for survivors of domestic violence and their
children on Grove Boulevard opened in January of 2001. The number of shelter
beds for women and children increased from 70 at the former site to 100
at the new site.
- A 60-bed facility for single adult homeless women and for women and their
children is currently being renovated. The shelter will offer a range of
supportive services including case management, ESL and GED classes, job
training, and life skills classes. This facility will be operational in
November 2001. Furthermore, the opening of this new shelter frees up some
space at the current family shelter.
3. INTERIM/ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER
Emergency shelter space represents a short-term gap in the service continuum.
The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) has moved to an interim
location where it will be housed until the permanent shelter, resource center,
and clinic are constructed downtown. In addition to day resource center services
such as showers, laundry facilities, mail service, telephones, and life skills
classes, the interim facility will provide overnight shelter to 73 men.
4. SHELTER FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
SafeHaven added shelter beds for persons with mental illness after 1996.
The SafeHaven is funded primarily through the HUD Continuum of Care Homeless
Assistance Grant rant, and the City and County provided the matching funds
for this facility.
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B. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
Transitional housing is defined as housing that is available to a person
for six to 24 months and includes case management and other support services,
such as child care and employment training, to help homeless individuals transition
from homelessness or emergency shelter into permanent housing.
1. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR HOMELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN
- SafePlace will add fourteen units of transitional housing to their existing
26-unit complex (83 beds). Although this is funded primarily with federal
funds through the HUD Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grant, the City
had provided mathcing funds for the construction of these units.
2. SCATTERED SITE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
- Transitional housing can be provided in a single structure at one site,
multiple structures at one site, or in multiple structures at scattered
sites. One example of scattered site transitional housing is the ReEntry
program at Caritas of Austin. ReEntry uses recovery-based group homes (for
recovery from substance abuse), single-room occupancy housing, and boarding
houses for transitional housing. This has allowed ReEntry to:
- house people more quickly
- provide a more supportive housing environment around recovery
- house persons who are in recovery in neighborhoods that are relatively
free
- from street corner drug dealing
- move out of the position of being the client's "landlord"
yet remain as the client's case manager and advocate (Davis, 2000)
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C. PERMANENT HOUSING
Permanent housing is housing for which occupants pay no more than 30% of
their income. May be provided privately or publicly. This is the ultimate
goal for every person in the Continuum of Care.
1. PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Affordable housing is available through the Housing Authority of the City
of Austin, which houses approximately 5000 people every night, using public
housing units, and Section 8 rental assistance vouchers. The City's Neighborhood
Housing and Community Development Office administers Community Development
Block Grants (CDBG), HOME grants, SMART Housing funds, and Community Housing
Development Organizations (CHDOs). Permanent affordable housing includes housing
for people with mental and physical challenges and is often called "permanent
supportive housing."
The City's Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office (NHCDO) uses
federal and local resources to address the community's goal of creating/retaining
5,000 affordable housing units annually by 2005, as discussed in the "City
of Austin's 2000-2005 Consolidated Plan." NHCD links housing services
through a continuum from homelessness to home ownership. The five-year goals
will be addressed through rehabilitation and construction of housing units,
seeking nonfederal funding resources, facilitating regulatory reform, and
assisting non-profit housing developers.
Community Partnership for the Homeless is planning to build and operate 30
units of permanent affordable housing for families. Six of the units will
be designated for families that include a member with a disability.
2. SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING (SROS)
SRO housing is affordable rental housing with either individual or shared
kitchen facilities and bath facilities. The Capital Area Homeless Alliance
is currently seeking funding for operating an 85-bed SRO facility. The City
government has considered providing a subsidy for capital investment through
the Housing Trust Fund with a goal of securing 100 more units of SRO housing.
3. PERMANENT HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Permanent Housing for Persons with Disabilities is community-based, long-term
housing including supportive services. This housing is designed to help homeless
persons with special needs to live as independently and productively as possible
in their communities. Special needs include mental illness, physical disabilities,
and HIV/AIDS. Program funding comes mainly from HUD's Continuum of Care funding
and HUD 811 funding.
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D. SUPPORTIVE AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES
These services are designed to assist people who are at risk of becoming
homeless and people who are homeless and working through the continuum of
services in the community.
1. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT
The City's Homeless Initiative recommended that expanded substance abuse
detoxification and treatment be purchased from service providers in the community.
Increased substance abuse treatment services for people in homeless situations
have been gained through increased funding specifically set-aside for homeless
persons and a Substance Abuse Managed Services Organization (MSO) agreement
with ATCMHMR.
2. EMPLOYMENT TRAINING
The Homeless Initiative recommended job readiness as a goal. Many homeless
persons lack the education, work experience, or job skills to be able to access
full-time employment. The City and County provide funding to numerous agencies
for workforce development services. In contracting for these services, the
City and County require that agencies conduct outreach to homeless service
providers in order to make services more available to homeless persons.
Concurrent with expanded homeless services in the downtown area; the City
addressed concerns about existing programs serving people who are homeless.
The Day Labor program had been an important resource for homeless and low-income
persons seeking employment. The Day Labor program was moved in 1999, and new
operational guidelines were implemented. The Day Labor program is now part
of the City's overall workforce development efforts.
3. CHILD CARE
Increased availability of affordable childcare was recommended, reflecting
the need for childcare so that parents and guardians could access employment.
The City administers grant funding through CDBG for The Bridge childcare assistance
program, which serves families in homeless situations. SafePlace and the Passages
case management program receive funds directly from the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to assist with childcare expenses.
4. DAY RESOURCE CENTER
The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) currently operates at
400 Nueces. The resource center will eventually be co-located with the planned
downtown shelter and homeless health clinic. The day resource center provides
centralized intake and assessment, referral, and direct access to services
that people need in order to transition out of homelessness. The resource
center also provides services such as showers, telephones, mail service, and
laundry facilities to meet people's basic needs.
5. HEALTH CARE CLINIC
The clinic is currently housed inside the Salvation Army. It provides acute
care, preventive health services, and public health screenings. The new downtown
shelter, resource center, and clinic facility will house a larger health clinic
with increased services.
6. EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
This service is available to people through religious organizations, Caritas
of Austin, and Travis County Emergency Assistance Program. These programs
have very limited funding.
7. HOUSING MEDIATION AND ADVOCACY
Legal Aid of Central Texas and the Austin Tenants' Council provide legal
advocacy and landlord/tenant mediation to help people who are at risk of losing
their current housing.
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E. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
The Responsibility component of the Homeless Initiative addresses concerns
about public nuisance and criminal offenses.
1. COMMUNITY COURT
The Downtown Austin Community Court was established October 1, 1999 to address
problems with repeat Class C Misdemeanor offenders. The goal of the Community
Court system is two-fold: to address the root causes of criminal behavior
in order to prevent their repeat occurrence, and to provide the community
with assurances that offenders will make restitution for their crime. Under
this model, the Court has greater authority to refer repeat offenders to assessment
and treatment that can have life-changing effects on individuals' lives. The
Court also requires offenders to make public restitution through community
service. Throughout this process, the Court closely supervises offenders to
ensure compliance with their sentence, and to evaluate the success of their
treatment programs. The Court links the court system, social services, law
enforcement, and the community. Community members are actively involved and
have a say in shaping restorative sanctions
In 1999 the Texas Legislature authorized legislation that allows Courts to
upgrade repeat Class C misdemeanor offenses to a Class B status upon the fourth
conviction within a 24-month period. This new law allows judges to refer repeat
offenders to social services as an alternative to jail and to increase the
length of jail sentences for habitual offenders. Those strategies, in turn,
allow more opportunities for assessment and intervention to draw people into
needed services, improving their lives and the public's safety, and addressing
the root causes of criminal behavior in order to prevent their repeat occurrence.
2. ORDINANCES/ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS
· No Camping Ordinance
In January of 1996, the City Council adopted a no-camping ordinance that prohibits
camping in public areas, except in designated areas. "Camping" means
to use a public area for living accommodation purposes, as evidenced by stored
belongings, tents, camp fires, and cooking.
The original ordinance also prohibited sleeping in public areas, but that
clause was removed in September of 2000.
· Aggressive Panhandling Ordinance
While few municipalities now maintain or actively enforce absolute prohibitions,
Austin still has an absolute prohibition against begging on the books. The
new ordinance replaces our current ordinance and does not prohibit begging.
Instead it follows the model used by most municipalities today that only prohibits
panhandling or soliciting that is done in an aggressive manner or in certain
public places and situations where the solicitation of money is especially
intrusive. This ordinance was proposed for Council Action on March 8, 2001,
and was approved.
3. CHANGES TO DOWNTOWN ZONING / ECONOMIC INCENTIVES
A committee was formed to evaluate possible zoning changes to ensure the
compatibility of land uses adjacent to the proposed shelter, resource center,
and clinic facility. In addition, the committee considered the need for economic
incentives in order to ensure the continued growth and development of property
near the proposed facility. The committee completed its report in 1999 and
made the following recommendations: (1) the adoption of an ordinance to create
a Northeast Downtown Overlay combining District; (2) the promotion of existing
incentives, and (3) the provision of a catalyst for development in the area
surrounding the Salvation Army. These suggestions will be further considered
nearer to the opening date of the shelter, resource center, and clinic facility.
The City of Austin and Travis County have made great progress in addressing
homelessness in the community. The Homeless Initiative represents a substantial
financial investment on the part of the City and County to expand services
that homeless people need to become self-sufficient. Perhaps more importantly,
the Initiative has helped to unify many diverse constituents on the issue
of homelessness. Through careful planning and negotiation, and extensive discussion
and public hearings, the local government has helped to build a shared commitment
to the goals of the Initiative among all sectors of the community. This alliance
of businesses, neighborhoods, homeless persons, advocates, and service providers
has allowed Austin and Travis County the opportunity to work toward ending
homelessness, and to make the changes that are needed to realize success.
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F. OVERSIGHT GROUPS
The City of Austin is reviewing the oversight structure and may recommend
consolidation to streamline the process. Currently, three groups are involved
in oversight.
1. THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE
Established by the Austin City Council in January 1996, the Homeless Task
Force was charged to develop a comprehensive plan for addressing homelessness
in Austin/Travis County, which was completed in December 1996 with five year
goals for each gap identified in the local continuum of care. The Task Force
serves as the Community Action Network's official planning body for homeless
issues and is comprised of service providers, homeless advocates, business
and neighborhood representatives, public agencies, and community representatives.
The Task Force meets monthly.
2. CITY OF AUSTIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY STAKEHOLDERS' COMMITTEE
A Stakeholders' Committee was created as part of the City Homeless Initiative
to develop and oversee the operations of proposed new homeless programs, particularly
those in the downtown area. The Committee is comprised of representatives
from neighborhood associations, downtown businesses, homeless service providers,
homeless/formerly homeless people, and members of the faith community. This
committee provides oversight to Coordinating Council, oversees the design
of homeless service facilities, ensures project timelines, and monitors the
fund development process.
3. COORDINATING COUNCIL
A Coordinating Council was created as part of the City Homeless Initiative.
The Council is comprised of representatives from neighborhood associations,
downtown businesses, homeless service providers, homeless/formerly homeless
people, and members of the faith community. The Council's responsibilities
center on developing and reviewing operating policies and guidelines for the
downtown shelter, resource center, and clinic. The Council is anticipated
to work closely with the operating board of the agency(ies) operating the
facility.
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