Council extends Marshalling Yard services for homelessness

In a unanimous vote, City Council approved an eight-month, $500,000 extension of a contract to continue Marshalling Yard emergency shelter operations for those experiencing homelessness. The contract will allow the yard to serve as an emergency shelter through March 2025. “The Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter provides compassionate care to 300 clients daily and the rate of clients exiting the shelter successfully continues to climb,” Austin’s Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray said in a statement to the press. “Emergency shelter capacity is a critical piece of a multi-faceted approach to making homelessness brief, rare, and nonrecurring. As we meet those immediate needs, we must also focus on case management, access to mental health care, and creating more housing opportunities.” Though there was some question at the work session about whether the contract was the best way to spend funds addressing the issue, Gray explained that the city is still short 815 permanent shelter beds for individuals experiencing homelessness. In addition, 20 percent of those leaving the yard – which serves as an emergency stopgap shelter – are now exiting to move into housing, which has doubled since January of this year. “In addition to case management services, clients of the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter access daily transportation services, three healthy and nutritious meals per day, pet-friendly onsite boarding and pet food, onsite laundry services, onsite showering facilities, wellness activities and a patio for outdoor activities,” a press release from the city says.