Executive Summary

Working alongside people who’ve experienced homelessness, ECHO coordinates community-wide strategies and funding to build a rehousing system that reconnects all our neighbors to stable places to live quickly, equitably, and permanently. The organization builds collaborative relationships to combat the worst effects of the growing affordability crisis in Austin and Travis County. Guiding the work is a coalition of people with firsthand experience of homelessness, service providers, equity advocates, government leaders, funders, and more. This diverse, independent group determines policies, procedures, and best practices that ECHO and its community partners are responsible for following and enforcing. This community representation ensures an equitable, transparent approach to reconnecting people with safe, stable places to live.

ECHO plays a leading role in advocating for more housing, fueling significant growth over the last few years in the number of apartments and homes available to people ending their homelessness. Last year, community partners helped more than 3,000 individuals and families find stable places to live. In the last five years, partners have helped more than 10,000 people move back inside. ECHO coordinates this rehousing system that enables people living outside to connect with the majority of our community’s housing providers through a single housing assistance application. The organization also provides community partners with funding to give direct assistance to people who need minimal support. This funding can pay for security deposit assistance, identification, bus fare, work clothing, and other one-time costs that can prevent people from ending their homelessness.

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