Austin, TX

ECHO's $350M plan offers to 'effectively end' homelessness in Austin – Austin Monitor

Published

1 month ago

November 8, 2024

ECHO's 0M plan offers to 'effectively end' homelessness in Austin – Austin Monitor

Friday, November 8, 2024 by Chad Swiatecki

The city is projected to need $35 million annually over a 10-year period to effectively end homelessness via a plan that emphasizes adding hundreds of permanent supportive housing units while also addressing emergency shelter and prevention steps to keep people from losing their homes.

City Council’s Public Health Committee met on Wednesday and received a presentation from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) on the recently completed modeling and forecasting of the city’s homelessness trends. The 10-year plan is seen as a way to move the city’s high numbers of chronically homeless individuals back into stable housing while efficiently providing aid to stop at-risk residents and families from losing their homes.

The report focuses on expanding housing capacity across emergency shelters, rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing, with total costs expected to reach around $24.4 million for 550 emergency shelter units, $104.5 million for 2,355 rapid rehousing units and $217.4 million for 4,175 permanent supportive units. The plan proposes an annual, staged investment schedule that anticipates shifts in available funding, such as the expiration of specific federal support from the American Rescue Plan that the city has relied on in recent years.

Kate Moore, vice president of ECHO’s homelessness response system strategy, said the number of chronically homeless people – from 25 percent to 30 percent of those who are in the agency’s management system – is larger than peer cities and other major cities in Texas. Moore said part of that anomaly comes from the city not adding permanent supporting housing units commensurate with its sharp population growth.

“We’re already seeing an increase in people moving into (new) permanent supportive housing. This will help us address this but we need to keep our eye on this number,” she said. “Despite this large growth in the (Homeless Response) System, we are still playing catch-up. Austin’s inventory of shelter and housing remains the lowest among big cities in Texas and among the lowest among our peer cities.”

Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said she supported the plan, calling the total $350 million cost “a manageable number that we can make if we make the necessary strategic policy proposals.”

The recommended policy steps focus on an “inverted funnel” approach, in which more emphasis is placed on long-term housing and support rather than on simply expanding short-term shelter options. That strategy is intended to reduce the chronic, cyclical nature of homelessness by ensuring that more individuals transition to stable housing rather than relying on temporary solutions.

David Gray, the city’s homeless strategy officer, said his office is looking at what methods other major cities use to fund their homelessness response needs, with corporate giving and philanthropy added to all available sources of public funding.

The city’s next bond package in 2025 or 2026 is expected to include a substantial request for funding for housing and resources related to housing for those experiencing homelessness. Council Member Ryan Alter said the city also has to find approximately $50 million over the next two years to replace the Marshalling Yard emergency shelter and provide the money needed for rapid rehousing services.

With permanent supportive housing projects typically taking four-plus years to develop, Alter said the city needs to start finding ways to continue adding more permanent supportive housing units beyond those that were paid for in part with federal dollars.

“If we came here today with $100 million, $200 million, pick your number … we would have to start that process today to start meeting the need of 2028 and 2029 if we were acting quickly. These projects just take forever,” he said.

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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Austin, TX

Discover Austin’s best Christmas light displays without the crowds

Published

2 hours ago

December 10, 2024

Press Room

Discover Austin’s best Christmas light displays without the crowds

‘Tis the season to aimlessly look at glistening Christmas light displays.

While the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, offers residents and visitors the chance to partake in a 60-year-old tradition starting Dec. 10, the crowds and snail-like pace of fellow attendees often kill the holiday spirit — leaving one feeling more like Ebenezer Scrooge than Buddy the Elf.

Checking out holiday lights shouldn’t be stressful. Not only that, but some would argue it shouldn’t cost a dime to do (aside from a small donation).

Luckily, there are plenty of lights to see for free in Austin this holiday season.

4 free Christmas light displays in Austin, Texas

Those looking to beat the crowds while taking in a sea of glistening lights can check out these four Christmas displays in the greater Austin area:

37th Street Lights

When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Dec. 13 to Jan. 1, 2025.
Where: 507 W. 37th St., Austin.
What: A longstanding park-and-walk excursion on 37th Street (between Guadalupe and Home Lane) featuring houses decked out in eclectic lights and holiday decor that screams, “Keep Austin weird.”

Maywald Christmas Display

A portion of the 2024 edition of the Maywald Christmas Display in Austin, Texas.Taylor Kamnetz | tkamnetz@lonestarlive.com

When: Dec. 11-Dec. 27. Visiting hours are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Where: 10505 Twilight Vista, Austin.
What: A dazzling display featuring more than 350,000 lights, Texas-sized Santas and larger-than-life displays spanning 4.5 acres. Donations to Make-A-Wish are accepted upon arrival.

Christmas Lights at Chinati Court

When: Nightly through Dec. 31 starting around sunset until roughly 11 p.m.
Where: Chinati Court, Cedar Park.
What: A brightly decorated cul-de-sac with various photo ops. You can drive by most nights or take in the magic on foot. Santa visits the street every Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. until at least 9 p.m. (except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).

Photos with Santa are free. There will also be a Brown Santa drop-off at this display, and those visiting are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.

The Domain’s Holiday Tree Light Show

When: Nightly through Dec. 25. The free light show occurs every hour during the following times: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday; Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday; Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Hours for Dec. 24-25 will be noon to 6 p.m.
Where: 11821 Rock Rose Ave., Austin.
What: A dazzling holiday tree light show that occurs every hour on the hour (weather permitting). The tree is located across the street from the Apple Store.

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Austin, TX

Cold weather shelters activated in Austin for Tuesday, Dec. 10

Published

10 hours ago

December 10, 2024

Press Room

Cold weather shelters activated in Austin for Tuesday, Dec. 10

AUSTIN, Texas – The City of Austin has activated its cold weather shelters for Tuesday night.

The city says temperatures are forecast to dip into the mid-30s overnight on Tuesday (Dec. 10) into Wednesday morning (Dec. 11), so the shelters are being activated for those needing overnight shelter.

Individuals can get information about access and activation by calling the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline at 512-972-5055.

How to access a Cold Weather Shelter

Registration for shelter will occur between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road, which will act as the central embarkation point for individuals seeking an overnight shelter.  

CapMetro bus routes to OTC are lines: 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 142, 801. Anyone seeking cold weather shelter and does not have the means to pay the fare will still be given a ride.

An after-hours embarkation service will also be available for those seeking transportation to a shelter outside the embarkation period.

What to know about Cold Weather Shelters

Guests can bring their belongings as long as they can transport them to the OTC and onto a CapMetro Bus.
Pets are allowed if they are not aggressive, can be around others, on a leash, and can sleep with their owners. If a pet needs a crate for the evening at the shelter, guests should inform staff at the OTC when registering.
Meals will be provided.
Women and couples can be in the same shelter but in a separate area, as capacity allows.
Hotel vouchers will be provided for families with children and unaccompanied minors seeking shelter during activation periods.

How is it determined when to activate Cold Weather Shelters?

The City’s Homeless Strategy Office determines when to activate cold weather shelters in Austin no later than 9 a.m. each day.

The office uses National Weather Service projections for Camp Mabry. and will activate shelters if the forecast predicts:

32 degrees or colder overnight, or
35 degrees or colder overnight with precipitation, or
35 degrees or colder with a wind chill of 32 or colder

The City has communicated with community partners that work directly with Austin’s homeless population, as well as directly with homeless individuals registered with the City’s text alert system.

Residents are encouraged to follow austintexas.gov/alerts for emergency information updated in multiple languages.

The Source: Information in this report comes from the City of Austin.

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Austin, TX

Texas Longhorns Defensive Lineman Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Published

18 hours ago

December 9, 2024

Press Room

Texas Longhorns Defensive Lineman Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Aaron Bryant is entering the NCAA transfer portal, On3 reported on Monday.

Bryant is the fourth player to enter the portal for Texas so far, following the announcements of edge Tausili Akana, wide receiver Johntay Cook, and fellow defensive lineman Jaray Bledsoe.

The 6-foot-2, 305-pound third-year lineman tallied 13 games played, including the Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma State in 2023.

Bryant was part of the 2022 recruiting class, as a state and region All-Star in Mississippi and ranked No. 8 overall in the state. He was selected to participate in the 2021 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game by the Mississippi Association of Coaches and the Mississippi High School Activities Association, as well as the 2021 Bernard Blackwell Classic All-Star Football Game by the Mississippi Association of Coaches. Bryant was ranked No. 290 in the country.

Still in high school, the four star recruit was part of a Southaven High School defense that only allowed 17.8 points per game, including two seven-point games.

Though he played in the season opener against ULM and got some more minutes against UTSA, Bryant ultimately redshirted his freshman year with no statistics recorded.

As a redshirt freshman, Bryant saw the field seven times and recorded his first career tackle against Baylor in Waco.

This season, Bryant played in four games, but only recorded statistics in one — a single assisted tackle against Florida. He also played against Colorado State, Oklahoma, and the regular season matchup against Georgia.

Bryant will finish his time at Texas with two tackles.

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