Travis County approves $500,000 transfer to support Camp Esperanza shelter expansion

Travis County commissioners unanimously approved a $500,000 budget transfer on April 8 to modify a contract with The Other Ones Foundation, Inc., and support development and construction of the Camp Esperanza emergency shelter complex and on-site supportive services.

The transfer moves $500,000 from a general-fund earmark for formerly LFRF-funded projects into Health and Human Services (HHS) to cover a shortfall in the Camp Esperanza project and allow the site to increase its planned annual shelter capacity. Judge Andy Brown said the court would place a routine budget amendment on next week's agenda to complete the transfer.

Nathan Fernandez, senior planner for Travis County Health and Human Services, told the court the project began under the ARPA LFRF portfolio and has been under contract since February 2023. "The original scope of work called for 250 shelter units to be provided every year at that time," Fernandez said. He said the foundation has already put more than 100 units on the ground and that with the additional $500,000 the project will be able to reach about 300 units per year for the two planned phases.

Michelle Serco of the Planning and Budget Office said the county holds an earmark of just over $4.7 million intended to cover shortfalls for projects that were funded or formerly funded by LFRF. PBO plans to preserve some of those funds to potentially extend 25 special project worker positions through the end of the LFRF grant period, a cost PBO estimates at about $2.8 million. Serco said, if the court approves the Camp Esperanza amendment, the earmark balance would drop by $500,000 to roughly $4.2 million.

Commissioner Howard moved approval; Commissioner Gomez seconded. The court recorded no callers and approved the transfer unanimously.

The court did not change the loan or contractual amounts for the project; Fernandez and Serco said the amended action is a line-item budget transfer to cover construction and supportive-services shortfalls. No further implementation schedule was publicly specified at the hearing.

Clarifying details recorded in the meeting include the earmark figure (just over $4,700,000), the planned extension cost for 25 special project workers ($2,800,000), and the requested transfer amount ($500,000). Commissioners and staff discussed unit counts: the original scope was 250 units per year, more than 100 units have been completed on site to date, and the additional $500,000 was described as enabling roughly 300 units per year across two phases. The court voted unanimously in favor (Judge Andy Brown — yes; Commissioner Gomez — yes; Commissioner Howard — yes; Commissioner Shea — yes; Commissioner Trevillian — yes).

The court did not take other actions on related agenda items at the April 8 meeting.