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Austin's Esperanza Homeless Community Offers Hope and Transformation

It was a scorching June afternoon, the sun beating down on the city of Austin, Texas. While most sought refuge in cooled homes or shaded cafes, 54-year-old Michael Nieves, or Mikey as he's known to his community, grabbed a large bag of ice to bring back to his cabin. Mikey wasn't always fortunate enough to have a place to escape the heat. As a resident of the Esperanza Community, a transformative homeless shelter, he once called a tent on scorched asphalt home. Now, he resides in a pale yellow cabin with a red door, a humble yet dignified space of his own.

"We're homeless people, but we're not different," Mikey reflects. "We just don't have the same privileges as everyone else, like a stable job or the means to buy a house."

Esperanza is more than just a shelter; it's a community that uplifts and empowers. Founded on the principle that people experiencing homelessness deserve better than a life on the streets, Esperanza offers a path to transformation. And it's needed now more than ever as the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld the legality of camping bans, criminalizing an already vulnerable population.

From Asphalt Jungle to Sanctuary

What was once a state-sanctioned homeless campsite established by Governor Greg Abbott in 2019 has transformed into a vibrant community. Rows of tidy, colorful cabins in teal, azure, olive, and cream now stand where tents and makeshift dwellings once struggled against the elements.

The nonprofit, The Other Ones Foundation, recognized the need for a safer, more dignified solution and stepped in during the summer of 2020. Through surveys and conversations with residents, they developed a plan that respected the individuality and needs of those they served—the microshelter concept.

Thanks to a mix of government funds, private donations, and construction work, the cabins began to take shape in September 2021. By December 2022, the site boasted 100 climate-controlled cabins with locking doors, providing safety and comfort. The site also includes single-occupancy restrooms with showers, community hubs, and offices offering case management and peer support services.

Scaling Up to Meet the Demand

With the success of its first phase, The Other Ones Foundation is doubling down on its efforts. In the coming year, they will construct an additional 100 cabins, making Esperanza the largest emergency shelter in Austin, surpassing even the city-owned ARCH shelter and transitional housing facilities.

The Texas Department of Transportation has also gotten involved, purchasing a neighboring 7-acre lot to enable Esperanza to expand and accommodate those displaced by the upcoming Interstate 35 construction. The expansion presents an opportunity to create an even larger and more inclusive shelter complex, one that caters to the unique needs of Austin's homeless population.

Community, Income, and a Grateful Dead Theme

Esperanza thrives on a sense of community and shared purpose. Clients can earn a respectable $20 an hour by contributing to the upkeep of the community or driving the shuttle, fostering a sense of pride and ownership. The Grateful Dead-themed pathways and community hubs, with names like Ripple Road and Morning Dew Way, bring a touch of whimsy to the lives of residents.

The cabins are designed to be sufficient without being permanent. The goal is for residents to stay an average of four months before transitioning to long-term housing. However, as Max Moscoe of The Other Ones Foundation notes, "Every journey is different."

Addressing the Rub: Investment in Humanity

Esperanza stands out among shelters for its inclusivity and respect for individual needs. With no curfew, pet prohibition, or sobriety requirement, it meets people where they are, offering detox and treatment programs when residents are ready. It accommodates all gender identities, a vital feature considering the overrepresentation of the LGBTQ+ community among the homeless.

Last year, The Other Ones Foundation helped 74 clients move from Esperanza into long-term housing and provided travel funds for 187 people to return to communities where they could stay with relatives or friends, effectively ending their homelessness. An impressive 90% of those aided remain stably housed after three months.

However, the harsh reality is that addressing homelessness requires substantial investment. The construction of 200 cabins at Esperanza, along with the necessary infrastructure, cost $6.5 million. This investment will help a few hundred people annually, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the over 5,000 people experiencing homelessness in Austin in the last six months alone.

The recent Supreme Court decision upholding homeless camping bans only exacerbates the problem, displacing people faster than the homelessness response system can accommodate them. It's a race against time to provide solutions that match the scale of the issue.

Hope in the Face of Adversity

Despite the challenges, Esperanza offers a glimmer of hope. Take the story of Daniel Reynolds, a 67-year-old Army veteran who, after a series of setbacks, found himself living out of a U-Haul and sleeping at bus stops. Three weeks ago, a case manager got him a cabin at Esperanza. With his spirits lifted, Daniel remains positive, reflecting on his military experience, "You've got to keep your chin up. You've got to keep going."

Esperanza, aptly named after the Spanish word for "hope," embodies the resilience and perseverance of its residents and the community that supports them. It stands as a testament to the power of compassion and the belief that everyone deserves a chance to rebuild their lives with dignity.

Original article by Barbara Grumet, the Statesman's Metro columnist. Share your thoughts via email at bgrumet@statesman.com or on Twitter @bgrumet. Check out her previous work at statesman.com/opinion/columns.