Espero at Rutland – Hope for Austin’s Homeless

Just a few weeks ago we celebrated the groundbreaking of one of our projects, Espero at Rutland, along with many of the folks from Caritas of Austin and city officials like Greg Casar of District 4 and Mayor Adler. Espero at Rutland is a future permanent supportive housing development fit to house 171 people experiencing homelessness, or those struggling to find housing. Funding was just approved this past May, and the development is expected to be completed in the winter of 2022.

We were honored to work closely with Vecino Group, the developer on this project who primarily focus on affordable housing developments or other projects that address a broader community issue. It is a pleasure to work with companies that believe that by working in the housing development space, especially in a city like Austin, there is a responsibility to contribute to creating a greater livelihood for all Austinites.

So, how will this housing development work exactly, and why is it special? Many times, housing options are difficult for people experiencing homelessness to obtain housing due to tenant requirements established by the developments, not always because of financial reasons. As a result of criminal history, eviction history, or frequent alcohol or drug use, it is extremely difficult to receive approval That is why permanent supportive housing developments like Espero at Rutland are so important — they provide not just a bed for someone in need of one, but other supportive services to help them get out of the cycle of poverty. For those who cannot afford housing at all, the city will be subsidizing 50 of the units. The rest will go to families or individuals who make anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of Austin’s MFI (median family income). To read more about the technicalities of Espero at Rutland, check out these articles by the Austin Monitor and the Community Impact Newspaper. Stay tuned on our website and our instagram for more updates on the project’s progress!