City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date: Oct. 13, 2025
Contact: Kasi Jackson 5129742243 Email
Bringing more homes to East Austin under 50% Median Family Income
For anyone experiencing homelessness in search of a stable place to live, please contact Austin ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition) for a Coordinated Assessment. Details and access information are available at www.austinecho.org/gethelp.
AUSTIN, TX – Austin Housing and Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) celebrate the groundbreaking of The Works III at Tillery, a 120-unit supportive housing community for youth exiting homelessness, including youth aging out of foster care and parenting youth. The site will be owned and operated by LifeWorks and developed by Capital A Housing. Construction is scheduled to begin in Fall 2025 and is anticipated to be completed in Winter 2027.
“We’re proud to break ground on affordable housing focused on supporting the future of our youth,” explains Deletta Dean, Austin Housing Director. “With partners like LifeWorks and Austin Homeless Strategy and Operations, we’re ensuring young people have the stability and housing they deserve. We remain committed to creating housing opportunities for Austinites.”
The Works III at Tillery, located at 701 Tillery Street in District 3, will comprise studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units available at 30% to 50% of the median family income (MFI). The majority of future residents will be drawn from the Coordinated Entry homelessness response system operated by ECHO. LifeWorks will provide intensive supportive services for all residents.
Left to Right: Judge Brown, Dr. Edward Burger, Council Member Velásquez, Mayor Watson, Dr. Liz Schoenfeld, Trey Salinas, Lulu Flores, Bobby Wilkinson |
Left to Right: Mike Gerber, Council Members Alter & Velasquez, Mayor Kirk Watson, Dr. Liz Schoenfeld, Trey Salinas, Mandy DeMayo, David Gray |
“The young people who will call this community home are at the very start of building their adult lives,” said David Gray, Austin Homeless Strategy and Operations Director. “The Works III is more than housing—it’s a place where youth can find stability, safety, and a real foundation for the future. Our office is proud to support this project because investing in our youth means investing in the future of Austin.”
The site is less than half a mile from LifeWorks’ East Site, where youth can access additional wraparound services, and within walking distance of Austin Community College’s Eastview Campus, providing direct access to higher education and training opportunities. The location is also less than a mile from the Govalle Shopping Center and just half a mile from the Airport Boulevard Imagine Austin Corridor and public transit.
“Every young person deserves a safe place to call home and the chance to pursue a life full of meaning and contribution,” said Dr. Liz Schoenfeld, Chief Executive Officer at LifeWorks. “The Works III is a powerful example of what our community can accomplish through public and private partnership. This collaboration marks an important step toward solving youth homelessness in Central Texas.”
Development Funding
"This project shows how coordinated action by the public, private, and non-profit sectors can meaningfully reduce homelessness in Austin," said Conor Kenny, a principal at Capital A Housing.
The Works III received an $8 million loan from Austin’s Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) Program and $12.99 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding from the Travis County Supportive Housing Collaborative. The development also received $5.5 million from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and a $6.1 million donation for the land.
Resources for affordable housing are available online at www.austintexas.gov/housing.
To learn more about homelessness in Austin, please visit www.austintexas.gov/homelessness.
About Austin Housing
Austin Housing creates and preserves housing opportunities to stabilize communities. To access affordable housing and community resources that help you, visit www.austintexas.gov/housing.
About the Austin Housing Finance Corporation
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) was created as a public, non-profit corporation and instrumentality of the City of Austin. The mission of the AHFC is to generate and implement strategic housing solutions for the benefit of low- and moderate-income residents of the City of Austin.
About Austin Homeless Strategy and Operations
The Austin Homeless Strategy and Operations serves as a focal point for addressing homelessness comprehensively, strategically, and compassionately. As part of the homelessness response, the City of Austin collaborates with agencies, community organizations, and individuals working to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring.
About Capital A Housing
Capital A Housing is an Austin-based developer of affordable and mixed-income housing and mixed-use communities. Capital A Housing is organized as a social benefit corporation, which allows it to prioritize sustainability and affordability alongside profits, and it frequently collaborates with local governments and non-profits to deliver custom projects for unique needs and circumstances.
About LifeWorks
LifeWorks is a local nonprofit based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to solving youth homelessness through housing, education, mental health, and workforce services. LifeWorks envisions a Central Texas where every young person has a place to call home, a sense of belonging, and the support to pursue a life they love. Each year, LifeWorks partners with more than 2,500 youth to build pathways to safety, stability, and independence. Learn more at www.lifeworksaustin.org.