Land Sold for New Women's, Children's Shelter Run by Salvation Army

The Salvation Army calls homelessness Austin’s “quiet crisis.”

To address this crisis, the Salvation Army has bought 7.5 acres of land on Tannehill Lane in East Austin to build a new shelter for Women and Children, reported KUT.

The Travis County Commissioners Court finalized the sale of the land on Tuesday. A vote to sell the land to build the shelter to the Salvation Army’s Capital Campaign for $210,000 was unanimously approved by the commissioners. The shelter will sit on a lot adjacent to an operating women’s and chilren’s shelter also run by the Salvation Army. The current shelter is over capacity, causing the Salvation Army to turn away families every day, according to the Salvation Army’s website for the campaign.

The new shelter will only house women and children struggling with homelessness. Any man over the age of 18 cannot stay at the shelter, or even visit relatives staying there, reported KUT. The shelter must also agree to maintain a secure perimeter.

Salvation Army Area Commander Lt. Col. Henry Gonzalez said the purchase will be key in fighting homelessness in Austin, in a statement acquired by KUT.

“Not only will the location of the new shelter contribute to the welcoming, campus-like environment we have cultivated for the existing shelter, this vote will also allow us to gain up to 35 percent efficiency by co-locating the facilities,” Gonzalez said in the statement. “Tens of thousands of women and children will eventually have access to services customized to meet their needs in a nurturing environment to help them move from crisis to self-sufficiency.”