AUSTIN (Oct. 1, 2026) – When someone moves into Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), they are often bringing with them years of instability, trauma, health challenges, and barriers that contributed to and exacerbated their homelessness. Housing provides a new foundation, and it takes individualized supportive service to build on it. 

That’s why recent investments into health care and other supportive services from the City of Austin, Travis County, Central Health, and the St. David’s Foundation will be so impactful for our community. 

These local investments come at an important moment: Communities across the country have spent the last year navigating uncertainty around the future of federal homelessness funding as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Continuum of Care (CoC) program has undergone significant changes and delays. While federal resources remain a critical foundation of our Homelessness Response System, communities are increasingly being asked to do more with local funding to ensure housing and supportive services remain available for people working to end their homelessness. ECHO applauds and thanks community leaders who take up this mantle to ensure people have what they need to thrive. 

2026 Investments 

• The City of Austin’s budget, adopted in mid-August, includes $7.8 million for local housing vouchers and a $6 million increase for PSH wrap-around services – both of which ECHO and our partners advocated for during the budget process. These investments not only stabilize our community’s ability to continue rental support for people currently in housing, they also expand providers’ ability to help people access the services they need. These investments come during a difficult financial landscape for the City, underscoring how critical this funding is to helping maintain their housing. Learn more 

• Travis County committed $2 million to support PSH services, helping ensure people exiting homelessness have access to the resources and support they need to remain housed. “We’re trying to address the needs of the whole person,” Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard said at a press conference following the first budget vote. The PSH services investment is in addition to an estimated $15 million that will go toward the County’s mental health diversion program, which keeps people experiencing mental health crises and homelessness out of the Travis County jail. Learn more 

• Central Health approved historic behavioral health investments – $127.5 million total, including $54 million in new investments for mental health crisis and recovery services, expanding access to care for some of the community members experiencing the most complex health challenges. Travis County Judge Andy Brown called the budget “a historic down payment” to build a system that provides the care our community needs. Learn more 

• The St. David’s Foundation is continuing its long history of advancing health outcomes in our community by investing $6 million over two years to provide bridge funding for PSH services at several properties across our community. This funding, announced as part of $47.7 million in grants awarded in September to foster greater financial stability. The funding will fill gaps left by changes in federal priorities and allow providers in our community to find long-term sources to support people living in PSH. Learn more 

Together, these investments move our community closer to a Homelessness Response System where everyone has what they need not only to end their homelessness, but to stay housed for good. “There’s so much more to do,” said Geronimo Rodriguez, Chair of the Central Health Board of Managers. “But today, we’re closer to having the care our community has needed for a long time, and we’re looking forward to doing that work together.”