Marshalling Yard homeless shelter may stay open indefinitely

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The city of Austin's emergency homeless shelter at the Marshalling Yard -- a warehouse-like building near the airport originally intended to serve as extra space for the Convention Center -- may stay open until the city can figure out an alternative space, according to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.

A resolution on next week's city council agenda directs City Manager T.C. Broadnax to "identify funding to keep the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter (Marshalling Yard) open to serve individuals experiencing homelessness until an alternative emergency shelter is identified and operational."

The resolution was brought forward by Watson and already has the support of Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool and Council Members José ''Chito'' Vela, Ryan Alter and Zohaib ''Zo'' Qadri.

The Marshalling Yard was originally intended to be used as an emergency homeless shelter for only a year -- from July 2023 to July 2024. The contract with Family Endeavors to run the shelter was for just north of $9 million. Austin City Council then approved an eight month extension for $500,000. That extension would end in March 2025.

"On any given night, that's about 270 people and if we were to shut that down prematurely what we would be doing is we would be forcing 270-300 people back out on the streets," Watson said. "Which is not good for them and it's not good for our city."

According to council documents, a total of 1,008 people have sheltered at the Marshalling Yard since it opened in August 2023.