Reporting what officials called a "substantial improvement in the exit rate" from the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter, the city Wednesday announced plans to extend operation of the shelter.
Austin's Homeless Strategy Office plans to seek approval at the Dec. 12 City Council meeting to amend its contract with Family Endeavors and extend the operation of MYES through the end of its fiscal year 2025, according to a press release.
The HSO shared updates on services and changes to the intake process for all city-operated shelters at a Wednesday meeting of the council’s Public Health Committee.
Over the past year, the successful exit rate — measuring how many clients leave a shelter for permanent housing — each quarter has nearly doubled, increasing from less than 15 percdent to almost 30 percent, it reported. MYES has served 1,028 clients, with 184 achieving successful exits, and city staff plans to set formal target exit rates to help improve outcomes.
“I am incredibly proud of our team's remarkable efforts to improve the positive exit rate from the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter,” the HSO’s David Gray said. “Additionally, we are pleased to announce that we have a pathway for the temporary shelter to remain open until we secure a permanent replacement, ensuring that no one in need is left without support during this critical time.”
The new intake process for all city-operated homeless shelters is "designed to improve coordination between city departments and community partners, and it simplifies access to shelter services,” according to the release:
Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter: Intake at MYES will continue to be prioritized for clients referred through City initiated efforts, such as high-priority encampment abatements and the closure of encampments in high-risk areas, including those near wildfire prone zones. All intake requests must be coordinated through a City department in collaboration with HSO.
Northbridge and Southbridge Shelter: The Northbridge and Southbridge Shelters, which have been converted from hotel properties into semi-congregate shelters, will remain in operation under the management of Family Endeavors and the Austin Area Urban League. Intake at both shelters will primarily be handled through the Housing-Focused Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) Initiative.
Austin Resource Center and Eighth Street Shelters: The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) an adult men’s shelter and the Eighth Street Shelter, which serves adult women and transgender clients, will continue to operate with referrals managed through a waitlist system. The waitlist will be overseen by HSO. Individuals seeking placement must contact the Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center at 512-522-1097 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. HSO will close the waitlist once it reaches 200 clients, with plans to reopen the waitlist once it reaches 50 clients, as space becomes available.
