Open Letter to Leadership 6-17-20
Our Mission
Founded in 1989, HtH is the oldest all volunteer, action, homeless organization in the state of Texas. The mission is Education and Advocacy around the issues of ending and preventing homelessness.
Urgent Issues
Re-Criminalizing Homelessness — Speak up now!
HtH supports the direction being taken by the City of Austin’s relatively new Homeless Strategy Office, led by a very committed and responsive David Gray, and with the commitment of Charles Loosen and other staff. We further strongly advocate ALL positions below that preceded The vote to basically criminalize homelessness — especially:
reinstating a camping ban must consider that those with disabilities, the aged, and in fact anyone with no place to go. The no sit/no lie ordinance is absolutely inhumane and unconscionable we must have at least 15 minute respites particularly for those with disabilities and make other provisions.
Mayor Kirk Watson, elected in 2023, is working to secure funding for homeless services from the State and within the City Budget.
2025 interests:
City Council approved a resolution making homelessness a top financial priority.
Increase the capacity of the Homeless Strategy Office to address and implement a comprehensive approach to strategic advancements in homelessness response. (Plan detailed in a 50-page memo from David Gray, June 2025).
Examples:
1. Expand HOST (Homeless Outreach Street Team) support including team members:
APD officers, EMS paramedics, behavioral health clinicians, social workers, peer support staff.
2. Support for Marshaling Yard operations.
3. Rapid Response housing and safe housing, especially for families.
4. Increase shelter beds with support; and more.
The Austin city council recently voted to put on its May 2021 ballot a vote to reinstate the no camping ban including the no sit/no lie ordinances. Now is the time to contact your mayor and council members particularly those who have supported decriminalizing homelessness, such as Mayor Adler, Kathy Tovo, Ann Kitchen, Greg Casar, Sabino Renteria, and others, we pray.
First call to action is cold weather shelter. Anyone that reads this, our urgent plea is to email our mayor and city council in this urgent time of cold weather. House the Homeless is encouraging to use the Convention Center or other alternatives sites that are already over burdened due to Covid-19 or at capacity.
A second call to action is to not displace unsheltered neighbors from bridges and the four major camp areas without having an immediate plan for alternative shelter/housing.
Finally, advise your mayor and council members that the wording for the May ballot regarding reinstating a camping ban must consider that those with disabilities, the aged, and in fact anyone with no place to go. The no sit/no lie ordinance is absolutely inhumane and unconscionable we must have at least 15 minute respites particularly for those with disabilities and make other provisions.
Federal Minimum Wage Debate
Federal resolve is insufficient; highly recommend Universal Living Wage formula indexed on the cost of housing wherever the person lives and works.
2020 Year in Review
Please take a look and download House the Homeless’s year in review for 2020.
Click Here to Download PDF
HtH News Fall 2020
Board Confirmations/Elections: Co-founder Cecilia Blanford elected as President/Treasurer; Will Hyatt, Chaplain & Vice-President Public Relations; Blythe Plunkett, Secretary. Member-at-Large appointments: Greg Gibson, Kevyn Meagher and JoAnn Koepke. Richard R. Troxell continues to serve as HtH National Education Director (NED).
The Board expresses deep appreciation to P.J. Liles for serving as President, having successfully completed his year of commitment and who will continue with HtH as a volunteer ambassador. Kudos were also expressed to Sylvia Troxell for a wealth of fundraising and support. Sylvia is continuing to serve as an Advisory member. Watch for our Annual Year in Review FMI including details for the Memorial Service hosted by Caritas on Sun., November 15th, which kicks off our annual appeal in support of HtH HUGSS Winter Survival Clothing give away.
Glimmer Austin has granted HtH a $10,000 COVID-19 Emergency Grant stating that “G|A is proud to support House the Homeless’ efforts to help expand and sustain direct services. G|A funding will ensure that their current strategies remain uninterrupted as they address the UNMET COVID-19 needs of the homeless population in 2020.” Thank you Glimmer Austin!
Getting Hand Sanitizer and Supplies to the Streets
P.J. Liles and Will Hyatt along with a handful of volunteers and donors spent much of the month of March 2020 getting hand-sanitizer and supplies out to the streets and to “Camp Abbott” in Austin, Texas.
COVID-19 Resources and Organizations that Need Your Help
Organizations that need supplies to keep people from experiencing homelessness
- Ending Community Homelessness Coalition
- Integral Care
- Salvation Army
- Caritas of Austin
- Austin Resource Center for the Homeless
- Trinity Center
- The Other Ones Foundation
- LifeWorks
- Mobile Loves and Fishes
- Casa Marianella and Posada Esperanza
- SAFE Austin
- Family Eldercare
- Foundation for the Homeless
- Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center
- Angel House
- Street Youth Ministry
- Saint Louise House
Information pulled from the Austin Chronicle 3/19/2020 (read the full article)
We want to recognize National Healthcare for the Homeless Council’s Townhall 4/3 Covid-19 Reaching Unsheltered People
- An event was hosted by National Health Care for the Homeless Council on April 3, 2020. Namely, COVID-10 Town Hall Series: Reaching Unsheltered People.
2019 Year in Review
Please take a look and download House the Homeless’s year in review for 2019.
Click Here to Download PDF
Housing Now Legislative Campaign
“Housing is a basic human right. Homelessness is not inevitable. We can do better.
Designed to reenergize local, state, and national advocacy, Housing NOW! 2020 provides a platform for advocates to come together to demand a significant increase in federal funding that keeps pace with rising local needs.”
Click the link below to learn about the Housing Now legislative campaign and/or join the National Coalition for the Homeless in their efforts to house the homeless.
Open Letter to Gov. Abbott — October 2019
Response to Mayor Adler’s United Efforts to House the Homeless
Response to Mayor Adler’s United Efforts to House the Homeless
AAS, “United Effort Needed to House Austin’s Homeless,” ‘this goal can only be reached if the city works aggressively with non-profits and private developers to make more low-income housing available across the city…Organizations, philanthropists and everyday people need to chip in.’
Mayor Adler says we should House the Homeless… we agree.
AAS calls everyone to the table, except businesses, who fail to pay basic living wages. This causes working people to live on our streets. We cannot leave businesses (the beneficiary of the minimum wage workers) out of the equation. Read- Looking Up at the Bottom Line…The Struggle for the Living Wage.
We continue to act as shills for robber barons. Businesses use workers to do their work and leave them only enough money to sleep under bridges, then tosses the burden to create housing, onto the back of taxpayers. Business must pay living wages. Taxpayers will help the other 48%, the disabled homeless.
Richard R. Troxell
National Education Director for House the Homeless.
Austin American Statesman Opinion 6/21/2019
