AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin is moving forward with its planned homeless navigation center in southeast Austin, according to an update from David Gray.
In a memo sent to the Austin City Council and Mayor Kirk Watson, officials said work is ongoing to finalize the facility near Interstate 35 and Oltorf Street.
The city’s Homeless Strategies and Operations team is forming a 13-member advisory board to help guide the center’s design, scope, and operations. The board will include local residents, people who have experienced homelessness, housing and service providers, and a civic representative.
Applications for the board drew 69 submissions, with finalists selected through a review process aimed at ensuring diverse representation. All 13 selected members have accepted their roles and are now being onboarded.
The advisory board’s first task will be to help oversee the selection of social service providers that will operate the facility. Meanwhile, initial site work, including temporary fencing and system upgrades, has already begun.
The navigation center, which will cost just over $4.3 million, is designed to connect unhoused residents with stable housing and support services.
