In what's shaping up to be a tale of two projects, the City of Austin is doubling down on its efforts to combat homelessness with a mix of successes and delays. On one side, we have the Marshalling Yard, a large city warehouse near the airport, which has to quickly transform into an emergency shelter space housing roughly 300 beds. Mayor Kirk Watson proudly announced its opening ahead of schedule, as KXAN reports. The city is already transferring people from camps, some located in high-wildfire-risk areas, to this new makeshift haven.
On the flip side, the Pecan Gardens, where the former Candlewood Suites motel conversion has been plagued with delays, are still haunting council members with their vacant presence. The project intended to provide permanent supportive housing remains unoccupied, despite the city shelling out over $9 million two years prior for the property. Mackenzie Kelly, Austin Councilmember for District 6, didn’t mince her words when she told KVUE, "It's frustrating to me that we keep pouring money into this project because of the failures of the City that we are having to make up for."
The Pecan Gardens saga continues as the city council approved spending an additional $2 million to keep the wheels turning, a move that extends Family Eldercare's contract until March 2024. The nonprofit, tasked with operating the site, has stumbled upon significant structural issues, including mold and drainage problems. "We are renewing the contract. We aren’t asking for more money, we are just requesting another green light to continue with this project," Dr. Aaron Alarcon, CEO of Family Eldercare, stated in KXAN report.
While the Marshalling Yard has begun swiftly to shelter individuals, Pecan Gardens struggles to morph into a space where the city's elderly and disabled homeless population can finally call home. Despite the setbacks, there's a glimmer of hope as Kelly anticipates the motel will open its doors for permanent supportive housing in March, according to her statement to KVUE. Meanwhile, advocates continue to push for more funding for housing solutions capable of fully addressing the homelessness crisis in the capital city.
