City Resources

City staff work everyday on programs and with partners to help those experiencing homelessness. Here are City of Austin Programs working to prevent and solve Homelessness.

Access to City services listed here may be impacted by COVID-19. Please find the latest list of services available across the city and information about how to access them here. 

Return to Austin's Homeless Strategy

Austin Homelessness Advisory Council (AHAC)

The Austin Homelessness Advisory Council (AHAC), previously named the Austin Homelessness Advisory Committee, is a group of approximately 15 individuals with lived experience with homelessness in Austin. AHAC is facilitated and administratively supported by DACC and meets on a biweekly basis to provide input on processes, programs, and practices impacting and serving individuals experiencing homelessness. 

Austin Public Library

Austin Public Library provides services to persons experiencing homelessness every day. At its core, the Library connects people to the resources they need and is a critical component in caring for members of our community experiencing homelessness.

Traditional Services/Resources

  • Shelter and Safety
  • Wifi/Internet Access
  • Physical and Virtual Collection

Services Specifically for Persons Experiencing Homelessness

  • Library Community Services Coordinators help persons experiencing homelessness navigate library resources
  • The Library implemented “wraparound” services, as a collaborative model, to help individuals find, understand, and connect to basic services to improve their quality of life. By centralizing services at certain locations, service providers are able to meet individuals where they are to help individuals navigate to behavior health care, medical care, employment assistance, shelter, food, clothing, and housing.
  • The Library welcomes partners to its locations to provide services, such as
    • Integral Care/HOST & PATH Outreach Teams
    • Central Health Medical Access Program (MAP) cards
    • Central Health Medical Mobile Team
    • Downtown Austin Community Court, Social Worker Group Counseling
  • In FY20, the Library’s budget will include $6,000 for mental health training for library employees

Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH)

ARCH is a city-owned housing-focused men’s shelter located in downtown Austin, managed by Front Steps. It offers emergency shelter, basic services and connections to housing for 130 men.

Services include:

  • Case management
  • Job placement
  • Legal assistance
  • Veteran services
  • Mental health services
  • Healthcare through the CommUnity Care Clinic

Physical Address: 500 E 7th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512-305-4100

Mailing Address for Clients: Name of Client, PO BOX 2509, Austin, TX 78768

Austin Shelter for Women and Children (ASWC)

ASWC is a county-owned facility, leased by the City, operated by the Salvation Army. The emergency shelter serves single adult women and women and their dependents.

Services include:

  • Case management
  • Job training
  • Housing location

Physical Address: 4613 Tannehill Ln, Bldg 3, Austin, TX 78721

Phone: 512-933-0600

Free Health Services

Austin Public Health provides free and low-cost services including:

  • Free HIV and sexually transmitted infections testing for those experiencing homelessness. For more information and locations call 512-972-5580.
  • Austin Public Health provides low-cost to free immunizations through Shots for Tots/Big Shots. The following vaccines are available:
    • Influenza,
    • Hepatitis A,
    • Hepatitis B,
    • HPV,
    • Meningitis (through age 21),
    • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR),
    • Pneumonia,
    • Tdap/Td,
    • Varicella (Chicken Pox), and
    • Zoster (Shingles).

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 512-972-5520.  No one is refused services if they are unable to pay.

Homelessness Outreach Street Team (HOST)

The Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) is an innovative and collaborative initiative that operates in the Downtown and West Campus area, occasionally assisting other parts of the city to address the needs of people living on the streets. HOST is modeled after similar successful programs that have taken root in other cities in the U.S.

Additional Partners and Resources

The City of Austin partners with the following organizations in the community to coordinate and provide residents with access to services:

ECHO is the lead agency that plans and implements community-wide strategies to end homelessness in Austin and Travis County.

Supportive services

For kids and families

  • Austin ISD’s Project Help supports homeless and unaccompanied students enrolled in the Austin Independent School District.
  • American Youthworks allows young people to complete their high school education while gaining vocational training.
  • Any Baby Can provides services for children, expecting parents, and parents of young kids.

Emergency shelter

Transitional and affordable housing