Recommendation Number 20250820-005: Homelessness Response 24-Hour Oasis Access — original pdf

Recommendation

BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Downtown Commission Recommendation Number: 20250820-005: HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE 24-HOUR OASIS ACCESS WHEREAS nearly one-in-three people experiencing homelessness in Austin-Travis County are chronically homeless; and WHEREAS the City has identified alleviating homelessness as a key priority; and WHEREAS the City of Austin adopted the State Homelessness Response System report and modeling (the “Report”) as a guideline to inform investment in the homelessness response system; and WHEREAS the Report states that the number of people seeking homelessness services for the first time has increased dramatically; and WHEREAS that number is expected to continue to rise; and WHEREAS Austin’s Homelessness Response System (“HRS”) serves a diverse population with needs ranging from short-term assistance to permanent housing programs; and WHEREAS short-term services are crucial and effective for meeting the urgent needs of the unhoused; and WHEREAS the Oasis is a safe, welcoming outdoor space on the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (“ARCH”) campus providing a rare place downtown for unhoused individuals to simply be off the streets, away from businesses, and outside without disruption; and WHEREAS the Oasis provides a dignified place for people to meet their basic needs—like showering and resting—away from storefronts, parks, or sidewalks—helping to reduce the visible effects of unsheltered homelessness while also improving hygiene, health outcomes, and access to services; and WHEREAS by offering a consistent, supportive space, the Oasis contributes to a more orderly and compassionate downtown, while fostering long-term solutions to chronic homelessness; and WHEREAS, due to its proximity to the ARCH and other homeless services, the Oasis provides dignity, relief, and connection to the support needed for stability and well-being; and WHEREAS currently the Oasis is only open to the unhoused during the day from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM seven days a week, turning out onto the streets at night after 7:00PM those accessing the Oasis during the day; and WHEREAS with adequate funding, the Oasis could remain a 24-hour refuge for the unhoused giving them an alternative to being on the streets; and WHEREAS the ARCH’s proximity to Austin’s entertainment district means weekend evenings see an influx of people accessing the bars and restaurants along 6th Street and Red River Street; and WHEREAS the cost of providing 24-hour access to the Oasis on Fridays and Saturdays with associated services would be $75,000.00 per year; and WHEREAS it is the considered opinion of the Downtown Commission that the benefit of providing 24-hour Oasis access on Friday and Saturday nights is well worth the investment. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Downtown Commission recommends and urges that the Austin City Council pass a resolution: Directing the City Manager to: Appropriate the $75,000.00 needed to fund 24-hour access to the Oasis on Friday and Saturday nights. Date of Approval: August 20, 2025 Record of the vote: 9-0 Motion: Vice Chair Levinson Second: Commissioner Shifferd For: Chair Ishmael, Vice Chair Levinson, Commissioners Buchta, Carroll, McDaniel, Peveto, Pollak, Shifferd, and Wiley Against: None Abstain: Commissioner Coufal Absent: None Attest: Christi Vitela (Downtown Commission staff liaison)