All 60 units will serve as permanent supportive housing for those exiting homelessness
For anyone experiencing homelessness in search of a stable place to live, please contact Austin ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition) for a Coordinated Assessment. Details and access information are available at www.austinecho.org/gethelp.
For questions about Integral Care services and how to get started, please call the Integral Care Helpline, available 24/7, at 512-472-HELP (4357) or email at info@integralcare.org.
AUSTIN, TX – The City of Austin Housing Department announces the opening of the Bungalows at Century Park at 13311 Burnet Rd., on the city’s north side, in District 7. The new residence offers housing for single adults experiencing chronic homelessness and a disabling condition in Travis County. The opening of this community adds to the City’s growing roster of permanent supportive housing (PSH) and its goal to increase the number of much needed PSH units. Persons experiencing homelessness are identified and/or selected using a coordinated entry process required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and facilitated in Travis County by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO).
“We are happy that more permanent supportive units are coming online and that these units will be supporting people with disabilities. The addition of these new residences shows the City’s continued commitment to addressing homelessness while meeting the needs of marginalized groups,” says Mandy DeMayo, Interim Director of the Housing Department.
The Bungalows at Century Park is located on the site of the former Texas Bungalows Hotel and Suites, which the city purchased in 2021 to transform into permanent supportive housing (PSH). Renovation of the property included foundation repair, roof and exterior repair, addressing previous flood damage, and accommodating appropriate service spaces within the building etc.
The Bungalows community consists of 60 fully furnished studio apartments for single occupancy. Amenities include 24-hour onsite property management, a laundry facility, a food pantry, common gathering spaces, onsite security and security cameras and dedicated offices for delivery of social services. Onsite services will be tailored to support tenants managing chronic behavioral health conditions and will include case management, counseling, peer support, nursing, supported employment and groups and events.
Caption: L to R – James May (City of Austin Housing Department Housing and Community Development Officer), Ryan Alter (Councilmember), Leslie Pool (Mayor Pro Tem), Dedrick Callins, Jeff Richardson (Integral Care CEO), Kirk Watson (Mayor), and David Gray (City of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer).
The concept for The Bungalows, say Integral Care staff, is modeled after its groundbreaking Terrace at Oak Springs Apartment Community and other evidence-based Housing First programs around the country. Jeff Richardson, CEO of Integral Care, says housing is the basic foundation for mental health and well-being. But it’s extremely difficult to seek recovery from a mental illness or substances use disorder, he says, when you live on the streets.
“Bungalows is a unique type of permanent supportive housing. In this evidence-based model, individuals move immediately, without pre-condition, from the streets or shelters into housing,” Richardson says. “Once housed, they are offered rehabilitation services and recovery supports to help them regain their health and stability. With a safe place to live and appropriate support services, the vicious cycle of shelter, jail, and emergency room ends, and recovery begins."
From Concept to Fruition
The new residences are the result of a collaboration between the City of Austin and Integral Care. The City of Austin owns the property; while Integral Care will manage and operate the development via an operating agreement. Integral Care is the local mental health authority for Travis County. Braun & Butler Construction Inc. served as the contractor.
Caption: Community room at the Bungalows at Century Park where guests can gather and interact with each other.
Funding for The Bungalows came from several sources and in separate allocations for acquisition and for renovations. A total of $6.5 million was awarded to the project for acquisition of the property – with $4.6 million coming from the 2018 General Obligation (GO) Bonds and $1.9 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Another $4.084 million was appropriated for property renovations – with $2.36 million from ARPA funds and $1.7 million from 2018 GO Bonds.
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation has awarded 50 local housing project-based vouchers for The Bungalows; another 10 tenant-based vouchers have been provided by from the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA). Renovations on the Bungalows began March 2024 and move-ins are anticipated November 2024.
Plans are to have more than 400 PSH units available citywide this year and a little over 1,200 PSH units by 2027, as part of a broader initiative to reduce Austin's unhoused population.
Access affordable housing resources online at www.austintexas.gov/housing.
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About the City of Austin Housing Department
The City of Austin Housing Department provides equitable and comprehensive housing solutions, community development, and displacement prevention services to enhance the quality of life of all Austinites. To access affordable housing and community resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/housing.
About Integral Care
Integral Care improves the lives of adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities in Travis County. Our services include a 24-hour helpline for anyone who needs immediate support, ongoing counseling to improve mental health, drug and alcohol treatment to help with recovery, and housing to regain health and independence. As the Local Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority, Integral Care has pioneered high-quality, community- based care since 1967, collaborating with partners to build a supportive network and combat mental health stigma in Austin. To learn more about Integral Care, visit our website at: www.integralcare.org.
About the Austin Housing Finance Corporation
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) was created as a public, non-profit corporation and instrumentality of the City of Austin. The mission of the AHFC is to generate and implement strategic housing solutions for the benefit of low- and moderate-income residents of the City of Austin.
About the Housing Authority of the City of Austin
Established in 1937, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) is an independent public unit separate from the City of Austin and responsible to an autonomous Board of Commissioners. HACA frequently works in partnership with civic and community groups to meet the needs of low-income families, seniors, persons with disabilities, and persons experiencing homelessness. Its mission is to cultivate sustainable, affordable housing communities and partnerships that inspire self-reliance, growth, and optimism. As a High-Performing housing authority that assists more than 20,000 Austinites, HACA owns and operates about 2,000 units of subsidized housing in multiple developments across Austin.