Our Mission
Founded in 1989, HtH is the oldest all volunteer, action, homeless organization in the state of Texas. The mission is Education and Advocacy around the issues of ending and preventing homelessness.
Urgent Issues
Re-Criminalizing Homelessness — Speak up now!
HtH supports the direction being taken by the City of Austin’s relatively new Homeless Strategy Office, led by a very committed and responsive David Gray, and with the commitment of Charles Loosen and other staff. We further strongly advocate ALL positions below that preceded The vote to basically criminalize homelessness — especially:
reinstating a camping ban must consider that those with disabilities, the aged, and in fact anyone with no place to go. The no sit/no lie ordinance is absolutely inhumane and unconscionable we must have at least 15 minute respites particularly for those with disabilities and make other provisions.
Mayor Kirk Watson, elected in 2023, is working to secure funding for homeless services from the State and within the City Budget.
2025 interests:
City Council approved a resolution making homelessness a top financial priority.
Increase the capacity of the Homeless Strategy Office to address and implement a comprehensive approach to strategic advancements in homelessness response. (Plan detailed in a 50-page memo from David Gray, June 2025).
Examples:
1. Expand HOST (Homeless Outreach Street Team) support including team members:
APD officers, EMS paramedics, behavioral health clinicians, social workers, peer support staff.
2. Support for Marshaling Yard operations.
3. Rapid Response housing and safe housing, especially for families.
4. Increase shelter beds with support; and more.
The Austin city council recently voted to put on its May 2021 ballot a vote to reinstate the no camping ban including the no sit/no lie ordinances. Now is the time to contact your mayor and council members particularly those who have supported decriminalizing homelessness, such as Mayor Adler, Kathy Tovo, Ann Kitchen, Greg Casar, Sabino Renteria, and others, we pray.
First call to action is cold weather shelter. Anyone that reads this, our urgent plea is to email our mayor and city council in this urgent time of cold weather. House the Homeless is encouraging to use the Convention Center or other alternatives sites that are already over burdened due to Covid-19 or at capacity.
A second call to action is to not displace unsheltered neighbors from bridges and the four major camp areas without having an immediate plan for alternative shelter/housing.
Finally, advise your mayor and council members that the wording for the May ballot regarding reinstating a camping ban must consider that those with disabilities, the aged, and in fact anyone with no place to go. The no sit/no lie ordinance is absolutely inhumane and unconscionable we must have at least 15 minute respites particularly for those with disabilities and make other provisions.
Federal Minimum Wage Debate
Federal resolve is insufficient; highly recommend Universal Living Wage formula indexed on the cost of housing wherever the person lives and works.
The Homeless Memorial Service Launches our annual Thermal Underwear Drive
Please help us keep our brothers and sisters warm and safe this winter by donating to our Thermal Underwear Drive.
Your donation of $35 will provide HUGSS+
(hat, thermal underwear top and bottom, gloves, socks, scarf, rain poncho, and a safety whistle).
These HUGSS will be given out New Years Day at the First Baptist Church 901 Trinity Austin, TX.
The 23rd annual House the Homeless Sunrise Memorial Service
When: Sunday, November 15, 2015 at 6:57am (1 hour)
Where: Vic Mathias Shores (formerly Auditorium Shores)
The Keynote Speaker will be Mayor Steve Adler. DeannRené will lift us up with her songs. Jeff Stoops, Gulf Veteran, will honor our Vets and Rev., Dr. Nathan J. Robertson, Jr. will pray for our lost brothers and sisters.
This year we will read the names of 171 citizens of Austin who died in poverty from October 2014-October 2015.
For 23 years, we have gathered on Auditorium Shores (just re-named Vic Mathias Shores) when we say goodbye to the women, men, and children who have lived and died on our streets in poverty the previous year. This one hour service begins at Sunrise which should be at 6:56 am. The service always ends on time with a fellowship gathering afterwards when we share coffee, cocoa and a bite to eat.
The Homeless Memorial is located at South First Street and Riverside Drive. The Memorial is on the south side of Lady Bird Lake on the Roy Butler trail. It is about 75 yards west of the Fanny Davis Gazebo and about 75 yards east of the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue. There should be plenty of parking at the parking area which you can access from 900 Riverside Drive. Once you park, simply walk to the river and turn left. You will see us gathering on the right at the Homeless Memorial.
Thank you for joining us. You are welcome to invite your friends. You will be moved.
November 11, 2015 Veterans’ Day Parade in Austin, TX
Mayor Steve Adler joins the Veterans experiencing homelessness.
Bridge the Economic Gap Day
September 8, 2015 (Labor Day +1)
The Fight for a Living Wage Continues!!
Join us at 7:30 am, Tuesday, September 8th on your bridge. At this one hour demonstration you and people like you will be flying Universal Living Wage banners and signs all across the nation calling for real change not chump change!
HUD Fires Shot Across the Bow of Cities Nationwide
12/2014 – The Travis County Commissioners Court Resolves to support the campaign to end homeless by:
1. encouraging the U.S. Conference of Mayors to encourage the U.S. Senate
to address the Federal Minimum Wage (FMW) and the SSI Standards
2. Supporting the 10 year phase in of the changes to index the FMW and SSI to the local cost of housing.
3. Imploring that our institutions (prisons, hospitals, foster care) Discharge No One into Homelessness
Universal Living Wage: Good for Business
Richard Troxell with ‘House the Homeless’ says businesses wind up harming themselves when they are stingy with their workers pay, they wind up hurting their business, “What we’re suggesting is embrace the living wage, they will empower these minimum wage workers to be able to sustain themselves and not be a detriment to any other business.” Listen to the interview here.
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Great progress on the Homecoming Bronze Statue. Please click to see two videos of world-renowned Sculptor, Timothy Schmalz work and speak about the project.
Speaking Out on the Economic Recovery
House the Homeless president, Richard R. Troxell, lays out a jobs plan to put millions of Americans back to work; jumpstart the construction industry building housing for the newly-employed; stimulate the economy through a surge in consumer spending; delay, reduce, and restructure foreclosures; while at the same time reducing taxes and subsidies from the federal government to the unemployed. Impossible? No! It’s actually quite realistic. Check out the plan here.
Change.org Petition for Benches for the Homeless
Let’s get folks up off the sidewalk and their feet out of the gutter.
BENCHES can get our citizens up from the sidewalks and out of our gutters! Dignity & Fairness!!!! By signing, I call for enough benches for all!
