New Housing Offers Hope for Homeless: Austin's First Permanent Housing Solution Opens Doors

Austin, TX: Austin's first permanent housing for the homeless, Garden Terrace, officially opened its doors on Tuesday, November 4, 2003. Garden Terrace offers 85 efficiency apartments and supportive services for homeless and low-income adults. Garden Terrace, a $4.5 million project, was more than 3 years in the making and the result of partnerships involving housing and social service agencies. Garden Terrace is part of a national solution to end homelessness.

Garden Terrace will celebrate with an Open House from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Remarks and a Ribbon Cutting will take place at 10 a.m. DIGNITARIES ATTENDING: TX Rep. Elliot Naishtat, Mayor Pro Tem Jackie Goodman, City Council Member Raul Alvarez, former Mayor Kirk Watson, Edwina Carrington (exec. dir.-Texas Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs), John Girvan (AMD- Austin Contributions Council), Gary Wolfe (exec. dir.-Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation-Rocky Mt. District.

The 85 apartments and supportive services will mean homes for people who have previously lived at shelters, under bridges, and in their cars. Residents began moving in last month, with more than 20 people living there so far. More than 250 applications have been received for the 85 apartments.

Each furnished apartment includes a private bath and kitchenette. Residents share community living areas, a TV lounge, computer lab, full kitchen, and courtyard.

Rents ranges from $50 to $300 or a maximum of 1/3 of resident's income. Residents must have an income of 50% or less of Austin's median family income ($24,900 for a single person or $11.97 per hour).

Garden Terrace is for adults living alone who have very low incomes: people on fixed incomes (disabled or elderly); veterans; individuals who work in low-wage jobs and people who are homeless, facing eviction or leaving transitional housing.

The lead funder for the $4.5 million project is City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development and Austin Housing Finance Corporation. Other major donors include: AMD, Austin Community Foundation, Compass Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Housing Authority of the City of Austin, Houston Endowment, The Meadows Foundation, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation-Rocky Mountain District, Sara and Dick Rathgeber, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Topfer Family Foundation, Travis County, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Lola Wright Foundation. In addition, many churches and individuals have made donations.

"This is an important housing facility for the City of Austin's housing strategy," said Paul Hilgers, Community Development Officer for the City of Austin. "This facility will provide housing, with support services to allow people to live with greater independence and self-sufficiency."

Garden Terrace is a joint partnership of Foundation Communities, a local award-winning nonprofit affordable housing provider with 1,124 apartment and duplex units in Austin, and Capitol Area Homeless Alliance which operates the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, providing services for 4,000 people annually.

The Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin reports that a single adult needs to earn at least $10/hour in order to secure basic necessities. Yet nearly a third of Austin jobs pay an hourly wage of less than $10. Austinites with low wages or physical impairments that leave them unable to work had virtually no housing options until Garden Terrace opened.

For leasing information, call 512-416-8300 or visit www.gardenterrace.org.

The Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office's mission is to provide housing, community development, and small business development services to benefit residents so they can have access to livable neighborhoods and increase their opportunities for self-sufficiency.

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Please call 974-3100 (voice) or 974-3102 (TDD) for assistance. This project is made possible by funding from HUD through the City of Austin.

CONTACT: Robin Bradford, 447-2026 x27 (voice) or Julie Beggs, 974-3121 (voice)