Overview

• Formally convened on Aug. 6 and announced Aug. 19, the task force will meet through year-end to produce actionable strategies, assign lead agencies and set an implementation timeline.
• Participants span city and state entities and nonprofits, including the Homeless Strategy Office, Austin Police Department, Austin Community Court, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Travis County, Central Health, Integral Care, ECHO, Trinity Center and the Downtown Austin Alliance.
• Officials say there is no dedicated funding for the task force, though the city’s latest budget includes roughly $100 million for homeless services and added outreach positions.
• Downtown encampments dropped from nearly 500 structures in May 2021 to fewer than 50 by April 2025, yet quarterly counts place the unsheltered population around 400–500, with a July tally up 26% from January, according to the Downtown Austin Alliance.
• The effort builds on HOST and Urban Alchemy’s HEART initiative, with a focus on discharge planning so people stabilized in hospitals, jails or shelters connect to therapeutic residential care, shelter or family supports instead of returning to the street.