The Austin Homeless Advisory Council is devoted to the mission of systemically constructing and broadening the community's homeless response system to rapidly rehouse people to secure and decent housing. To this end, they have identified essential gaps in the system that are based on the analysis conducted for the leading CoC agency and align the system gaps established in the Home-ARP plan. In particular, COVID-19 has highlighted the need for investment in shelter beds for the uncongregated in the short term, as well as investment in the long term development of permanent housing units to solve homelessness. The Austin Action Plan to End Homelessness outlines a large deficit in funding for on-site support services for those who have been chronically homeless.
Additionally, there is a need for homelessness prevention strategies for those who have not yet entered homeless information systems. Rapid rehousing projects have been expanded thanks to funding from the CARES Act and LifeWorks' Ending Youth Homelessness initiative, which allows homeless people with multiple barriers to accessing housing to access housing units in the private market. The Homeless Strategy Division of the Austin Office of Public Health and the Department of Housing and Planning have collaborated to inform the public about the possible uses of HOME-ARP. Northbridge is currently used as a bridge shelter and will become permanent housing for the homeless in the future. The level of needs and gaps in the provision of shelters and services shown in figures 11 and 12 of Annex C represents the comparison of the HRS model with the housing resources and services that are actually available. In conclusion, there are several unmet needs and gaps related to addressing homelessness within Travis County, Texas.
These include a lack of funding for on-site support services, a need for homelessness prevention strategies, and a need for more permanent housing units. It is essential that these needs are addressed in order to ensure that all members of Travis County have access to safe and decent housing. To this end, it is important that local government agencies work together with non-profit organizations, private businesses, and other stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that can help address these issues. This could include providing additional funding for on-site support services, creating more permanent housing units, or developing new homelessness prevention strategies.
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