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Council directs staff to work with West Texas Homeless Network on coordinator role after presentation on encampments and costs
Summary
After staff and nonprofit leaders outlined cleanup costs, service demands and existing programs, the council directed staff to meet with the West Texas Homeless Network and APD to draft a job description, funding options and success metrics for a proposed coordinator/director position.
City staff and nonprofit partners briefed the Abilene City Council on homelessness, encampment cleanups and existing coordinated‑entry programs. The presentation described cleanup costs, calls for service, and options for a city‑partnered coordinator or director role to improve system‑level coordination.
Public Works Director Max Johnson and Abilene Police Department representatives described recurring encampment cleanups and public‑property impacts. Staff presented estimated 2024 cleanup costs of roughly $96,500 for several sites and noted APD received more than 4,000 calls for service related to issues connected to the homeless population.
Nonprofit leaders from the West Texas Homeless Network (WTHN), Betty Hardwick Center and Hope Haven described the existing coordinated entry system, recent HUD‑funded expansions, and results: partners reported hundreds of households moved into housing during the most recent 12‑month period and emphasized that coordinated outreach prior to encampment closures increases housing placements.
Council members asked whether the city should fund a dedicated director/coordinator role to centralize data, align nonprofit actions, manage grant opportunities, and ensure follow‑through. Participants said such a role could help mine HMIS (HUD’s Homeless Management Information System) data, arrange housing navigation and landlord outreach, and coordinate city/nonprofit actions. A proposed annual budget figure of about $200,000 was discussed as an illustrative number that could be offset by private grants and partner contributions.
The council did not vote; instead it gave staff direction. Council asked staff to work with WTHN and APD to develop a proposed job description, proposed performance metrics and funding options (including grant opportunities and partial funding scenarios), then return to council with recommendations.
Ending: Staff and coalition partners will draft a detailed proposal including metrics to define success, funding scenarios and a recommended implementation timeline, then report back to council for a future funding decision.
