Four homeless encampments were recently closed, and dozens of people moved into city shelters through Austin's Housing-Focused Encampment Assistance Link, or HEAL, program that's relocated more than 800 people over the past three years.

What happened

Austin's Homeless Strategy Office announced July 10 that several encampments had been shut down under HEAL, including:
  • Along the Barton Creek Greenbelt
  • Along the Williamson Creek East Greenbelt
  • Along the Northern Walnut Creek Greenbelt
  • In the Indian Grass Prairie Preserve near MoPac
A total of 63 people living in those locations were placed in shelter. The encampment areas are now closed, and the city will maintain an "enforcement presence" while cleanup work continues, a Homeless Strategy Office spokesperson said.

Through HEAL, city departments and local nonprofits coordinate to shut down encampments that are prioritized based on factors like community risk. Residents at those sites are then offered entry into Northbridge and Southbridge, two central city shelters, along with resources to pursue permanent housing.

“Transitioning from encampments into shelter signifies a significant step towards stability, support, and access to resources and care. The cleanup of four encampments reflects our commitment to ensuring a safer community,” Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray said in a statement.


Zooming out

HEAL was established by City Council back in 2021, and the program moved its first clients into shelter that spring.

Additional HEAL cleanups took place through the summer of 2021 as the city ramped up enforcement of new local and state camping bans. The program has continued to address various locations across Austin since then.

Over HEAL's three-plus years in operation, the city reported more than 80% of residents in its targeted encampments—now about 830 people in total—have accepted the offer of shelter. The majority then end up either moving into more stable housing or returning to homelessness, the city has previously reported.


Encampment cleanup and shelter costs under HEAL have totaled more than $32 million from fiscal years 2020-21 through 2023-24.


HEAL is one of the city's many homeless strategy initiatives that now cost more than $80 million annually. Officials continue to contend with dozens of encampments around Austin and a shortfall of hundreds of needed shelter beds, a gap that's projected to grow after the upcoming closure of the temporary 300-bed Marshalling Yard facility.

Looking ahead, more than 1,000 new permanent supportive housing units for people exiting homelessness are expected to open this decade.