The San Antonio-based South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless has changed its name to Close to Home. Agency officials said they are re-emphasizing their strategy of using partnerships to reduce homelessness.

The background

SARAH in 2016 was designated as a local Continuum of Care lead agency to secure and distribute funding for regional providers who aid homeless individuals and families.

SARAH also collaborates with public and private-sector partners to collect data, and offer guidance on policies and programs affecting the homeless community.

In announcing the name change Oct. 18 at Mi Tierra Cafe, leaders with SARAH said the alliance’s now-former name was a mouthful and that the shorter, more-forward-sounding moniker would focus on the humanity and dignity of the homeless community.

The takeaway

Officials with SARAH also said the new name, Close to Home, reflects the agency’s aim to enhance messaging and public education efforts to find a safe, stable home for all unsheltered people. While the agency is now called Close to Home, the alliance of homelessness providers will be called the Alliance to House Everyone.

At the Oct. 18 announcement, Executive Director Katie Vela Wilson reiterated Close to Home’s mission and core values. She also briefly talked about the Strategic Plan to Respond to Homelessness in San Antonio and Bexar County, a 2020 document that spells out objectives toward decreasing the local homeless population by half by 2026.

What they’re saying

In a prerecorded video shown at the Oct. 18 announcement, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Close to Home and its partners remain dedicated to addressing the root causes of homelessness and growing the number of solutions.

“Close to Home and the alliance will work together on implementing new solutions to address unsheltered homelessness, preventing homelessness for families and continuing the work to expand housing options for people experiencing homelessness.”

Vela Wilson said Close to Home will stick to its core mission.

“Our organization will stay grounded in its values to tackle this work. We’ll empower our partners, each other and the community,” she said. “We’ll meet people where they are and continue to embrace our differences. We’ll be resourceful problem solvers and dig deep into the problems, no matter how complex.”