San Antonio unveils Homeless Services and Strategy Department; director outlines $26.1M budget and data-driven priorities

Mark Carmona, the chief housing officer who introduced himself as the new director for San Antonio———————the Homeless Services and Strategy Department, briefed the Planning & Community Development Committee on Nov. 17 about the department———————mission, priorities, partnerships and budget.

Carmona said the department—was created to move the city—from reactive homelessness response toward proactive, long-term strategies that rely on data, coordination and innovation. He described three fiscal-year priorities: reduce unsheltered homelessness, prioritize quick rehousing for families (including transitional housing and case management) and prevent first-time entrants into the homeless services system. He cited the most recent point-in-time count as "roughly around 3,600" and said about 1,700 of those were first-time entrants into the system.

Operations and partnerships will include a community-connections hotline as the single point of entry for homelessness response; coordination with council offices, health departments and public safety partners for encampment abatement; and partnerships with nonprofit providers and Close To Home (the HUD-designated continuum of care agency) for program evaluation and governance. Carmona said all delegate-agency and designated-agency contracts previously administered by DHS have been moved into the new department for funding administration, reporting and compliance.

On capacity and funding, Carmona presented an adopted budget figure of $26.1 million for the department this year, of which roughly $21.5 million supports community contracts; the department has just over 40 staff (43) and an additional $4.4 million was noted as funds flowing through solid waste and NHSD. He said costs and bed-capacity gaps will be analyzed to inform a strategy for shelter diversion, bridge and transitional housing and permanent supportive housing, and warned that recent federal NOFO changes may shift funding emphasis away from permanent-supportive housing toward transitional facilities and shelter.

Councilmembers pressed Carmona on operational details. Councilmember Court asked about the department—team size (Carmona said 44/43 total staff) and asked for clearer metrics comparing delegate agencies and city outreach work. Members asked whether low-barrier shelters are sufficient or whether "no-barrier" options are needed; Carmona said the department will analyze capacity, who needs which type of shelter and what fills the gaps. He described outreach-retention challenges, clinical staffing (two LMSWs and one LCSW assigned to outreach), and plans to develop retention pathways and training.

Councilmember Galvan and others raised geographic concerns about service access in outlying districts and suggested mobile hubs or trusted neighborhood venues (faith-based or day centers) to improve trust and access. Carmona said the department is exploring mobile hubs and cited an example of a mobile medical clinic run by Corazf3n; he also discussed partnerships with county, LMHA and health systems for behavioral-health and mental-health funding alignment.

Kathy Lacy, human services administrator over homelessness, described the community court process (municipal and Bexar County courts) and invited councilmembers to observe a court session; she noted judges involved and that social workers and mental-health staff participate in case-level advocacy. Carmona said the department will produce a one-year action plan to identify targets for the coming year and then determine the shape and timing for a longer-term strategy.

The briefing was for information; committee members asked staff for follow-up details including metrics, survey response counts, dates for community events and ride-alongs with outreach teams. Carmona and staff said they will return with more detailed analysis and outreach coordination materials.