Austin's 1st permanent supportive housing community celebrates 5th anniversary

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin leaders on Friday celebrated a milestone anniversary in the city's effort to address homelessness.

Terrace at Oak Springs, Integral Care's first "Housing First" permanent supportive housing community, celebrated its fifth anniversary Friday morning.

Integral Care opened the community in 2019, providing stable housing and supportive services for 50 people who were previously unhoused, including 25 veterans. The mental health service said in the years since its opening, Terrace at Oak Springs has become a model for other similar communities.

The Terrace at Oak Springs is a four-story, 40,000-square-foot building at 3000 Oak Springs Dr. with 50 fully-furnished, single-occupancy units.

Residents and staff gathered to share stories about the community, and members of the media got a chance to tour the apartment and food pantry.

Integral Care said it's kicking off a food pantry drive this week to stock the pantry in time for the holidays.

According to Integral Care, “Housing First” is a homeless assistance approach that "prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, thus ending their homelessness and serving as a platform from which they can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life."