Open Letter to the Austin City Council

On the morning that Jennifer Gale passed away there were 40 formerly chronically homeless people resting comfortably, safely and securely in their recreational vehicles in RV Parks throughout Austin. I want you to know that Mobile Loaves & Fishes stands ready, willing and able--in collaboration with the City of Austin and many others--to ensure that those who are chronically homeless have an affordable, sustainable and permanent place to call home.

For more than four years now Mobile Loaves & Fishes has been lifting people off of the streets of Austin into high-quality gently used recreational vehicles. Of all of those we have placed into RVs more than 85% continue to remain housed and their lives permanently transformed. Austin is transformed as well. Habitat on Wheels (www.mlfnow.org/how) is no longer a concept but a time-tested and proven new way to affordably house our chronically homeless. This project will be fully wrapped in services to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to rediscover their purpose in life and become productive citizens of the community we all love.

All we need is the land with entitlements and a transportation link and Mobile Loaves & Fishes will commit to raise, from private sources, the $5,000,000 necessary to develop this project. With the estimated population of chronically homeless in our community at about 1,000 we can essentially mitigate this problem within five years. Austin can become the beacon in the United States of how cities can successfully tackle this pressing issue.

-Alan

Comments

[David Davenport]

I don't want to sound out of line or sarcastic but folks we need to wake up. The wonderful quality of life many of us enjoy in Austin is causing basic human necessities to become out of reach for many of our neighbors. Prices and property taxes increase at the same time wages drop in value or evaporate completely. When charitable organizations step up to the plate and say "we'll carry the weight - we just need a little help" and their efforts result in a better community for all we need to listen. We have an economic reason, we have a quality of life reason but most importantly we have a human and moral reason to make this project happen. Austinites shouldn’t go hungry nor should their life end alone and cold in a parking lot.

I stand proudly with Alan and my friends from Mobile Loaves & Fishes in this critically important effort.

David Davenport
President & CEO
Capital Area food Bank