Austin Doubles Housing Capacity for Homeless, Nonprofit Reports

Austin and Travis County have more than doubled the number of beds and housing units available for people experiencing homelessness since 2019, according to a report from a local nonprofit.

The system-wide performance update, published Wednesday by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing homelessness in the area, reported a 108% increase in available beds and housing units. The report also found a 5% drop in the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time. In 2024, service providers helped 40% more people transition into permanent housing compared to the previous year, and the median wait time to move into housing after completing an assessment was reduced by 115 days.

“The findings in this report highlight the critical importance of sustaining our momentum as a community. Our emergency shelter capacity has grown by more than 70% year over year,” said David Gray, director of Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations, in a news release. “We are demonstrating that it is possible to address immediate needs without compromising the long-term strategies required to ensure everyone has access to stable housing and the support they need to thrive.”

ECHO Executive Director Matt Mollica said in an interview with the Statesman that the progress providers made last year demonstrates the impact of investing in solutions.

“What the providers were able to show this past year is that when you invest in them, and you invest in solutions that they provide, the people that get off the street, get out of our shelters and into housing, they can execute on those in ways that are making each dollar go farther,” Mollica said.

He added that the progress resulting from investments in homelessness justifies the increased tax rate hike that the city of Austin will ask voters to decide on in the November tax rate election.

“I’m encouraged and pleased by the progress that this report reveals. We’re not yet where we need to be, but we have clear evidence the planning we're doing and the investments we’ve made as a City are having a real impact for people living on our streets,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a release.