AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center will officially launch a hotline on Tuesday to connect people experiencing homelessness with housing assessments and other resources.
The new hotline is an upgrade to a pilot call center project that launched in June as a “community-wide solution for vulnerable residents to access safe, affordable housing resources,” Sunrise officials said in a news release Monday.
During its pilot program, the hotline grew in volume from a few hundred calls to more than 2,000 calls each month in August and September, officials added in the release.
“We’re finding ways to make coordinated walk-ins more convenient and accessible for Austin residents by offering same-day home appraisals and referrals from anywhere in Austin,” said Ally Roberts, Sunrise Hotline Manager, in the release. “This approach treats homelessness as the urgent crisis it is and removes barriers for people who might not otherwise be able to get support.”
Those seeking assistance can call the Sunrise Hotline at 512-522-1097, where live evaluators will be on the line between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays. Extended hours are expected.
Located in South Austin, the Sunrise Day Care Center assists those experiencing homelessness by providing food, hygiene kits, medical resources and housing services after referral. The center, located at 4430 Menchaca Road, has served members of Travis County’s homeless population since 2015.
The resource center serves about 5,500 people a year. In addition to its center and hotline, Sunrise also offers street teams and a permanent supportive housing team.