Travis Country approved multiple contracts with non-profit organizations to build supportive housing for the unhoused population starting Jan. 24 with a $35 million contract for Mobile Loaves & Fishes.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ Community First! Village is a non-profit organization specializing in supportive housing or housing that includes amenities such as plumbing, laundry services and job opportunities, according to their website. The contract will fund a new location from the Community First! Village on Burleson Road, about eight miles southeast of campus, a representative of the non-profit said in a statement. There is not a set timeline for the project, the representative said.

“If the community is looking to heal and mitigate this pandemic of homelessness, the community is going to need to jump in and address it together,” said founder and CEO Alan Graham in a statement to the Texan regarding the housing contracts. “When we come together as a community and set the banquet table that is inclusive of every human being — miracles will be able to happen.”

As of December, the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, an Austin-based non-profit focusing on community outreach and support for the unhoused population, estimated that 3,838 people in Austin-Travis County experience unsheltered homelessness on a given day.

Travis County Judge Andy Brown said the grant comes from the $110 million allocated from the Commissioner’s fund, given to the county through the American Rescue Act, he said. 

“It’s different because of the large amount of federal funding that this involves,” Brown said. 

“It’s a new way that we’re doing this contract.” 

On Feb. 7, the county announced another contract with the non-profit The Other Ones Foundation. The $3 million contract will help support their “transitional homelessness shelter,” the Esperanza Community. The East Austin community provides similar accommodations to Mobile Loaves & Fishes Community First! Village.

“It is incumbent on our community to work as a team to end homelessness, and we are grateful that Travis County has stepped up to take part in this effort,” said Chris Baker, founder and executive director of The Other One’s Foundation in the press release. 

The Other One’s Foundation declined further comment.

Brown said housing is a huge problem in Travis County and wants to work on affordable housing on top of supportive housing. 

“I think this is probably the first area that I can recall where the county has invested directly in providing supportive housing,” said Brown. 

Brown said he is also concerned about the accessibility of mental health care for Travis County residents, a problem exacerbated by short staffing and funding. 

Brown said he hopes to expand mental health access across the county. A vote for a mental health diversion center will take place in early March in the commissioner’s court, which he said will work to provide mental health services to residents in need. This acts as the “next step” from his previous work for a county-run sobering center in 2014. 

“We get a better and safer community when we meet people’s basic needs for housing and mental health care and health care in general,” Brown said. “That’s why I try to figure out what is it the county can provide.”