Item 2: Domestic Violence Center Presentation — original pdf

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City of Austin Domestic Violence Shelter Austin Public Health | July 28, 2026 The Need ▪ 10-Year Family Violence Trends in Austin (2015–2024) ▪ 2015–2019: Family violence remained consistently high, with gradual increases driven by Austin's population growth. ▪ 2020–2021: The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased risk factors and higher demand for domestic violence services. ▪ 2022–2024: Incidents stabilized but remained above pre-pandemic levels, with continued high demand for shelter, legal advocacy, and support services. ▪ Current Trend: Family violence continues to be a significant public safety and public health issue, resulting in thousands of criminal cases and hundreds of protective order requests each year. 2 Background and History ▪ FY2020-21 budget process: $2M and $100,000 (one-time) in city general funds to invest in the management of a new family violence shelter. ▪ December 2020 - March 2021: Competitive solicitation to operate the City-owned shelter, expanding Austin's coordinated response to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and exploitation. SAFE Alliance selected to operate the City-owned shelter, expanding Austin's coordinated response to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and exploitation. ▪ Summer of 2021: Due to the source of the funding, the original location could not be used as the domestic violence shelter, and a new location needed to be identified and purchased. 3 Background and History ▪ April 28, 2022: City officially purchased a new location for the domestic violence shelter. ▪ May 2024: Council approved $8.58 million for renovation and construction. ▪ August 2024: City began construction on the site. ▪ Converted a former Super 8 Motel into a trauma-informed shelter for women and children experiencing domestic violence. ▪ The motel’s 62 guest rooms were converted into 40 rooms for residents. ▪ The pool was replaced with an outdoor children’s play area. 4 Opening of the Shelter ▪ September 10, 2025 - Ribbon Cutting 5 Shelter Services The SAFE Alliance is the operator of the shelter and provides: ▪ Emergency transportation and rapid placement into a safe shelter. ▪ Counseling and support groups. ▪ Safety planning and case management focused on housing stability. ▪ Connection to healthcare benefits. ▪ Educational advocacy for K-12 students. ▪ Children's Services program to build skills and resiliency. ▪ Legal advocacy. ▪ Peer support, life skills programming, and career/education access. 6 Investments - $3,294,291 Program Domestic Violence Shelter Victim Services FY 2026 Budget $2,000,000 $967,975 Bridge to Safety $117,000 ER - Prevention and Support $209,316 Brief Description The overall goal of the program is to provide shelter and supportive services to survivors of domestic violence that increase safety, connection, healing, empowerment, and stabilization. The goals of the program are to provide safety and support services to people in Austin and Travis County who have experienced rape, sexual abuse, and/or domestic violence. The objectives are to: meet victims' immediate needs for safety; help them manage the trauma they have experienced; and support their efforts to build healthy, self-sufficient lives free of violence. The goals of the Bridge to Safety program, operated under the agency's SAFEline (crisis hotline, text and chat), are to prevent future victimization of survivors of sexual and domestic violence, human trafficking, and exploitation and/or child abuse, and mitigate the need for emergency shelter and/or law enforcement involvement. The objective is to increase immediate safety. The goals of the proposed program are to increase personal safety, healthy relationships and school success among vulnerable students (grades 3-12) at SAFE’s Charter School and in other local K-12 schools. The Charter School serves middle and high school students who reside at SAFE due to child abuse and domestic violence. 7