Everything’s bigger in Texas, including Urban Alchemy’s successes.
What started as planting small seeds of service has grown into a field of fruitful change. In 2021, Urban Alchemy came to Austin to support in the outreach and engagement efforts for unhoused neighbors in North Austin. Urban Alchemy now operates two interim housing sites, a community-based public safety program and continues to provide outreach and engagement throughout the city of Austin. We are excited to continue contributing to the development of a holistic and comprehensive homeless service system and building meaningful relationships with the residents, leadership and stakeholders of the Austin community.
At The ARCH men’s shelter, we provide a welcoming, comfortable place for unhoused residents to live and receive services while they look for permanent housing. The 8th Street Shelter provides a safe space and temporary shelter for unhoused women and members of the LGBTQ community in the downtown Austin area, while also supporting them in connecting to life changing services and support. We have made these shelters welcoming spaces where guests are offered real beds, clean hygiene facilities, and more.
Urban Alchemy worked with the Downtown Austin Alliance to implement a refined version of our HEART community-based safety program. Our team is currently conducting self-initiated engagements with unhoused residents in crisis. Our goal is to de-escalate potentially dangerous or criminal situations, connect residents to resources, address and prevent mental health crises, and more.
Michael Duque
Their work has completely turned around this part of downtown and has led to the creation of HEART Austin, which we are confident will continue to make our streets safer. We are very pleased with the improvements in homeless services provision and positive change that Urban Alchemy has brought to downtown