2021-098 Housing Strategies UpdateDate: November 12, 2021 Report No. 2021-098
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
After a planned visit by City staff, City Council members, and community stakeholders to
Community First! Village in Austin, Texas, Mayor Pro Tem Meltzer requested an update on
housing strategies for people experiencing homelessness.
BACKGROUND:
On September 23, 2021, City staff, City Council Members and other community stakeholders
visited Community First! Village in Austin, Texas (The Village). The city delegation was provided
a tour of the facility by Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) Founder & CEO and The Village visionary,
Alan Graham. During the visit, Graham shared a comprehensive view of The Village from the
process of developing the facility from the ground up to the daily operations. He highlighted the
holistic nature of MLF’s approach toward addressing homelessness under the philosophy
according to Graham that, ‘housing alone won’t solve homelessness, but community will’.
MLF’s approach is on a continuum of care from support for those living unsheltered to long-term
housing stability. It includes three key programs. The Truck Ministry outreach program is building
relationships with the homeless men and women who they encounter on the streets. The permanent
supportive housing program, Community First! Village, was built as the place to welcome people
to a safe home. The stabilizing supportive service program called Community Works is providing
opportunities for individuals who have experienced homelessness to find purpose through work
and dignity through earning income.
Community First! Village Overview (source: mlf.org).
Purpose: Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned development that provides
affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming
out of chronic homelessness.
Nonprofit Organization: MLF is a social outreach ministry founded in Austin, Texas that
has been empowering communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless since 1998.
Development of Community First! Village: Phase I included the purchase and
development of 27 acres located on private property in Travis County just outside the
Austin city limits. Phase II of The Village is directly adjacent to the Phase I development
and adds an additional 24 acres – bringing the entire property to 51 acres and more than
500 homes. The land for future phases has been acquired, growing The Village by an
additional 127 acres and 1,400 more homes across two properties. When complete,
Community First! Village will include a total of 178 acres and provide 1,900 permanent
homes.
Date: November 12, 2021 Report No. 2021-098
Land Use: Community First! Village sits just outside of the City of Austin city limits;
therefore, there is no zoning. In Texas, there is no discretionary land use authority outside
of municipal boundaries. The Village does comply with certain state regulations involving
density and water quality.
Funding: The phased development of the property and ongoing operations is funded
entirely by private donations. Phase I began with a donation in 2013 of private property
valued at $1.525M, Capital Improvement Project investment of $1.2M in 2014 and ongoing
CIP investment of $7.4 million in 2015. The $18 million needed for the initial build came
from privately-donated funds. The project continues to expand with Phase II in progress
and Phase III set for future expansion. In addition to fundraising for the ongoing capital
expansion of The Village, the current annual operating budget for MLF is just over $9
million dollars.
Scale of the Community First! Village Operation:
o Phase I of The Village covers 27 acres. At full capacity, it can house 200 formerly
homeless men and women. Features of Community First! Village Phase I:
100 RV/Park homes
130 Micro-homes
5 Laundry/Restroom/Shower Facilities
5 Outdoor Kitchens
Capital Metro Bus Stop
Community Art House
Community Cinema
Community Concessions & Catering
Community First! Car Care
Community Forge
Community Inn
Community Market
Genesis Gardens Organic Farm
Goodness Press Screen Printing
Memorial Garden and Prayer Labyrinth
Topfer Family Health Resource Center
Walking Trails
Woodworking Shop
o Phase II of The Village is directly adjacent to the Phase I development and adds an
additional 24 acres – bringing the entire property to 51 acres and more than 500
homes. Features of Community First! Village Phase II:
110 RV/Park Homes
200 Micro-homes
7 Laundry/Restroom/Shower Facilities
7 Outdoor Kitchens
Community Gardens
Community Works Entrepreneur Hub
Date: November 12, 2021 Report No. 2021-098
Donor Recognition Park
Guest Parking Lot
Living Room
3D Printed Office Building
Eligibility Requirements:
o Must be experiencing chronic homelessness. Chronic homelessness is defined as
living in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or an emergency
shelter for at least one year (or four episodes within the past three years) and
having at least one disability.
o Have been in Travis County for at least one year.
o Have the ability to pay rent. Could include SSI, SSDI, working off-site, or on-site
employment through Community Works.
Partnerships: As is its purpose and mission, MLF empowers communities into a lifestyle
of service with the homeless. “Mobile Loaves & Fishes believes that the single greatest
cause of homelessness is a profound, catastrophic loss of family.” Community First!
Village provides more than just adequate housing. They have developed a community with
supportive services and amenities. There is a broad range of services available on-site to
the residents of The Village, including:
o Full-time behavioral health case managers through Integral Care.
o Primary healthcare services provided by CommUnityCare Health Centers.
o Micro-enterprise business opportunities through Mobile Loaves &
Fishes’ Community Works program.
o Regular farmers market to provide residents with healthy, nutritious and free
vegetables harvested from the Village’s many gardens
PRIOR CITY ACTION/REVIEW SPECIFC TO HOUSING SUPPORTS
The City has prioritized housing strategies for people experiencing homelessness since 2015
including requests for consideration of temporary and permeant housing solutions that are diverse
than traditional emergency shelter and existing rental housing. Staff recently presented a history
of the actions to strengthen the housing crisis response system and our key next steps where we
will be focusing time and resources, which includes the Loop 288 24/7 facility with enhanced
shelter and developing tools to support affordable housing and housing solutions (ID 21-1843,
November 1, 2021).
DISCUSSION:
Should City Council wish to proceed with support for new temporary housing project including
any action plan to elevate and implement the proposed development to provide temporary housing
to people experiencing literal homelessness with City funding and resources a more thorough
project analysis would be needed. As with the planning and development capacity required of all
new projects, under current capacity staff would need either additional capacity for the new project
or would need direction on which current projects could be deprioritized.
Date: November 12, 2021 Report No. 2021-098
The City does have access to the experience of other municipalities in consideration of emergency
housing strategies including expenses associated with one-time costs to establish sites that may
include, but are not limited to, extending access to electricity and water lines, site grading,
installation of perimeter fencing, creating or improving vehicular access, and mitigation of
potential risks associated with the proposed site. Sharing best practices is important and helps fill
knowledge gaps, improve efficiency, encourage leadership, and will improve the outcome of a
project.
In the Emergency, Temporary/Transitional, and Permanent housing continuum, tiny homes can
provide a low-cost solution to create a greater supply of permanent affordable housing,
be an emergency housing solution in times of disasters, and
serve as a means of temporary/transitional housing when there are gaps in available
permanent housing.
Considerations for working with a nonprofit
Does the project’s housing meet minimum Housing Quality Standards and does the site
have the necessary infrastructure?
o Clear and shared understanding of the type of ‘tiny home’ and its basic
infrastructure. Is it a fully self-contained unit. Will it provide heat and air
conditioning, electricity, water, and means of cooking and bathing?
o What is needed for a proposed sites basic infrastructure including electricity and
water service, restrooms, hygiene stations, and showers (mobile, if necessary),
adequate lighting, and perimeter fencing where appropriate. Health and sanitation
practices should be taken into consideration including regular trash collection,
hazardous waste removal, insect and rodent control measures. Additional services
offered by successful sites include laundry facilities, storage for personal
belongings, and transportation supports.
Can the Project Partner operate and sustain the operation long-term (such as areas that are
consistent with existing City Grant programs)?
o Proof of legal status ie 501(c)3
o Length of sustained operation in the community
o Documented experience in providing the proposed development, program, or
services
Is the project the best use of financial and land resources?
o Project Development implementation schedule
o Estimated total costs to develop the project
o Estimated costs associated with individual structures and supportive infrastructure
o Estimated Cost to sustain operations - Financial resources necessary for operations
o Financial resources already secured for the project
How will the project be appropriately integrated into the City?
o Land availability with appropriate zoning within the city limits owned by the City,
other governmental entities, private property, or other willing community partners
that could accommodate ‘tiny home’ structures to serve as temporary housing.
o Public Hearings to allow neighbors to comment on the project in any impacted
neighborhood.
Date: November 12, 2021 Report No. 2021-098
What role will tiny homes play in the community’s Housing Crisis Response System?
o Design-Program model, Risk, Operational Structure, etc. that ensures the program
is housing focused
o Possible community partners for cost-sharing and/or service provision
o Project Evaluation Plan – how will the project Learn, Pivot, Persevere
HB 1925
Depending on the proposed site and housing types, a project may fall under the provisions of HB
1925. HB 1925 went into effect September 1, 2021 and prohibits camping in a municipally-owned
public space, with exceptions, to be used by people experiencing homelessness to camp unless
specifically approved by the state through the Texas Department of Housing and Community
Affairs (TDHCA). The bill also prohibits any approved TDHCA location being a public park.
Staff provided additional information on Future Plans/Programming in ISR 2021-091 Homeless
Response Resource Update including Homeless Outreach Team expansion, New Homeless
Services Coordinator, Street Outreach Standards of Care, Work Programs for People Experiencing
Homelessness and proposed Ambassador Program
STAFF CONTACT:
Dani Shaw, Community Services
REQUESTOR: (List Council Member Name/Board, Commission or Committee/Staff Initiated)
Mayor Pro Tem Paul Meltzer
PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS:
Community Services
STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT:
2 hours