AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) will end its contract with homelessness resources nonprofit Urban Alchemy at the end of September. According to a city memo, some Urban Alchemy staff are accused of mispresenting “Homeless Management Information System exit dates and records.”
Urban Alchemy operated the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) and the Eighth Street Women’s Shelter in downtown Austin.
KXAN is working to gather additional details from Urban Alchemy. This story will be updated when we receive a response.
Homeless Strategy Director David Gray sent the memo to Austin City Council on Tuesday, notifying members that the contract with Urban Alchemy will end Sept. 30.
“While the HMIS records have been corrected, HSO holds its shelter operators to high standards of accountability,” Gray said in the memo. “Ending this contract reflects HSO’s commitment to upholding the integrity of its operations.”
Gray told members that in order to keep downtown homeless shelters in operation, HSO will enter into an emergency contract with Endeavors. Endeavors is currently responsible for operating HSO’s Marshalling Yard Temporary Emergency Shelter and Northbridge Shelter.
HSO plans to place an emergency contract on city council’s Oct. 9 agenda, according to Gray. That emergency contract would authorize an agreement with Endeavors until Sept. 30, 2026.
“HSO selected Endeavors for this emergency contract based on the organization’s demonstrated ability to rapidly hire and train staff for large-scale operations, its familiarity with HSO’s contracting requirements, and its strong track record in delivering quality services,” Gray said in the memo.
This is a developing story and will be updated by reporter Jala Washington.
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