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Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH)

Summary

The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) is a program that provides basic services to persons who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. These services include showers, laundry facilities, telephones, mail service, lockers, and information and referral. The ARCH also houses several co-located agencies that provide services to homeless persons, including legal and benefits assistance, comprehensive case management, assistance to homeless children in schools, and arts programs.

Status

The City currently has a lease for ARCH at 701 W. Fifth Street. That lease will end in July of 2001. Since the permanent downtown shelter, resource center, and health clinic has not been completed yet, ARCH will move to an interim location at 400 Nueces.

Under the auspices of the Community Action Network (CAN), the City and County contract with the Capital Area Homeless Alliance (CAHA) to provide day resource center services through the ARCH. Once the program moves to 400 Nueces, an overnight shelter program for 73 men will begin operating at the facility. CAHA will also operate the overnight shelter under a contract with the City.

Issues

The moving of services from the current site to the interim site is expected to proceed seamlessly. Neighbors and businesses in the area around the ARCH have supported the site at 701 W. Fifth Street, and it is anticipated that they will continue to support the ARCH at 400 Nueces. The City will have a sublease with CAHA for the ARCH interim site similar to the one in place for the current site.

Description

The interim ARCH location will be used for programs until a new, permanent resource center is built. Under the City's Homeless Self Sufficiency and Responsibility Initiative, the Austin City Council has recommended development of a new homeless facility that includes a larger resource center, a 100 bed men's shelter and an expanded health care clinic for people in homeless situations. The resource center component of the facility will provide centralized intake and referral to homeless persons, and it will offer services that homeless persons need in order to make the transition to self-sufficiency.

The Austin City Council has approved funds for the design and construction of the downtown shelter, resource center and health clinic. Land for the facility, at the corner of Seventh and Neches Streets, was purchased by the City in April of 2001. The City will request bids for the project’s construction in January of 2002. A request for proposals will be released to solicit an operator for the shelter and day resource center. The City’s Primary Care Department will operate the clinic. Construction is expected to be completed in July of 2003.

Basic Data

Project Contact: Mary Rychlik, Homeless Services Coordinator, Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department, 707-5929

Contract Monitor: Billie Garrett, Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department, 707-3248

Contractor: Helen Varty, Capital Area Homeless Alliance (CAHA), 476-4053

Lease Term : (701 West Fifth Street) - through July 15, 2001 (400 Nueces) - February 2001 through January 2004

Contract Term: January 1, 2001 - December 31, 2001

Revised July 17, 2001

Back to the July 2001 Downtown Report

Back to the Downtown Redevelopment


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