First a house, then a home in a compassionate community!
What we're planning
Apartments, Tiny houses, Hospitality Center, Showers, Workshops, Amphitheater, Green spaces
Designed by Fall 2017 Graduate Architecture Class UTSA
Professor Candid Rogers
Our Values
Individuals
HFCC targets individuals who experience chronical homelessness, vulnerable individuals as they out number chronically homeless families by 36 to 1.(CSH study 2016)
Housing
Evidenced-based Housing First principles are endorsed to promote roof, safety, and dignity first.
Permanent Supportive Housing
Abundant, wrap-around, formal and informal supports are provided to ensure that one’s house becomes a home such that each resident feels valued, demonstrates self-efficacy, and is enabled to maintain a long-term lease.
Community
All residents, volunteers, and staff through collaboration and cooperation, feel a sense of belonging within a welcoming, life-giving, beautiful campus.
Methodology
Mutual support is provided by using a Serving-Healing (equilateral) rather than a Fixing-Curing (top-down) methodology.
Solidarity and Accompaniment
Opportunities are available to both those newly “re-homed” and those who have never been homeless (PALs = Please Alleviate Loneliness…be a pal) to live in solidarity and to accompany each other on their mutual, collaborative journey towards the celebration of a purposeful life together.
Diversity
A diverse community where all residents, individuals without housing, volunteers (peers, hospitality, and PALs), property management staff, partnering case managers/counselors, and health care providers (medical, psychiatric, dental) are dedicated to creating and maintaining a compassionate, generative community for the benefit of all.
What can you do?
We're glad you asked! Whether you're far or near, we want to partner with you to help restart some lives!
Become a volunteer
All people, skills, and talents needed. Your investment of time and care will have ripple effects beyond knowing. It would be a pleasure to serve beside you!
Give a gift!
Combining our resources has tremendous potential. We can’t do this alone, and no contribution is too small. Share a gift from your heart that will fuel the development of this community!
Become a PAL
PAL: Please Alleviate Loneliness. Live in solidarity and accompany those newly “re-homed” on a mutual journey towards a purposeful life. Become a PAL!
Get Involved Now!
‘Communitas’ is a Latin noun commonly referring either to an unstructured community in which people are equal, or to the very spirit of community. Communitas is characteristic of people experiencing liminality together.
Housing First Community Coalition Goals
HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?!
Build.
Build 150 units that will house 125 individuals who are the most vulnerable with long histories of homelessness plus 25 peer and PAL volunteers. Units will include a variety of styles of tiny houses and efficiency apartments that will all be approximately 300-350 square feet.
Partner.
Partner with the San Antonio Catholic Worker Community to build an on-site 4000 sq. ft. club house to continue hospitality ministries (meals approximately 250/day], hygiene supplies, bathroom, showers, laundry, postal, phone, movies, games, and Wi-Fi) for community residents as well as those without housing.
Foster.
Foster the development and/or the enhancement of job skills, talents, and hobbies and promote dignity, self-worth, and a means of income.
Build.
Build 4-8 interconnected units to provide respite and/or hospice for community residents, as well as for those without houses, who are in need of services.
Partner.
Partner with local volunteer groups to provide unique, non-traditional informal wrap-around supports (companionship, transportation, hospitality events, seasonal social events, birthday parties, movies, games, book clubs, etc.).
Become.
Become a catalyst for two-way transformations by helping new residents adjust to becoming “homed” within a community of caring individuals and help those who have never been homeless to understand, empathize and companion with those had been without homes for a long time.