In the heart of San Antonio, Texas, Haven For Hope, an innovative approach to homelessness is making waves, not only in the local community but also garnering attention statewide and beyond. 

On its website, Haven for Hope says that it and its partners “address the root causes of homelessness by offering programming tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Our approach is person-centered, trauma-informed and recovery-oriented.”

The model has made such an impression on state leaders, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee Interim Report recommendations for state legislative action said that “the success of Haven for Hope in San Antonio highlights the effectiveness of integrated service campuses that address both immediate and long-term needs. To replicate this success the Legislature should consider supporting the development of centralized campuses modeled after Haven for Hope.”

Terri Behling, the Director of Communications at Haven For Hope explains that Haven for Hope inception traces back to 2010 when Bill Gray recognized what he believed was an alarming increase in homelessness that required community action. 

Behling says that Haven for Hope’s conception was based on extensive research by Bill Gray who formed a committee to tour over 200 cities across the country to find the most effective models for addressing homelessness.  

“They found services to be the most successful when you combined shelter with access to resources,” says Behling, to create a comprehensive services hub that is available to the people they serve. “We are more than a homeless shelter, we are a transformational campus.” 

Today, the campus operates on 22 acres in the poorest zip code in San Antonio, a decision that Behling says was intentional and critical to their success. 

“Our medical, dental, and vision services are not only available to our clients, but they’re open to the entire community as well,” Behling says. This approach both provided essential services to those experiencing homelessness but also fostered a strong relationship with the entire community. 

What further sets Haven apart is its dual structure: providing a low-barrier South campus and a transformational North Campus, both with services that cater to the distinct needs of each situation. 

The South Campus operates under the classification of emergency shelter, aimed at individuals and families who might face immediate crises. 

The campus capacity includes 1,450 beds.

“You could come in with no ID. You can be active in your addictions. You can use our secured areas,” Behling says. “We’re meeting people where they are.” 

As part of this approach, Haven For Hope tries to ensure that everyone has access to basic needs like hot meals while permitting individuals to engage with recovery services at their own pace. Behling believes this nuanced approach recognizes that “the problem with homelessness is the complexity.” 

At the North Campus, Haven for Hope works provides shelter and housing to its clients and collaborates with about 70 partner organizations to provide a wide range of comprehensive services from getting their identification to securing permanent housing. 

On the entire campus, they provide a wide-range of services including income and skills development, transformational case management, housing, unsheltered placement program, veteran services, legal services, an animal kennel, jail outreach, street outreach, continuity of care transition services, acute care, and more. 

Over the years, according to Behling, Haven for Hope has continually evolved to meet the ever-changing landscape. “Our programming has evolved. Our partnerships have evolved.” 

As an example, Behling explains that they created a young adult program as the issue of younger adults entering homelessness increased and recognizing that population’s needs are much different from older populations. 

“It’s been very successful,” she says, highlighting the importance of tailoring services to the distinctly different needs of different populations. 

With success comes challenges though. Behling says that Haven for Hope’s South Campus is “serving closer to an average of 1,700 [people] a day versus 1,450” capacity. 

But what causes so many more people to become homeless? While Behling believes there are quite a few factors, she emphasizes the role of socioeconomic factors in driving the increase in homelessness, saying “there’s a perception out there that individuals and families experiencing homelessness are lazy.” 

She disagrees with this perception and says some of the factors are a “lack of affordable housing, inflation, and the minimum wage not being a living wage.” 

Behling believes that understanding these root causes of homelessness is required to have a successful model to serve the homeless population. “This is critical for any city or community trying to replicate our model,” she says. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, urban centers across the country were seeing an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness. In response, Congress allocated funds for homeless services as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

However, at the end of 2024 those ARPA funds dried up, leaving some homeless service providers to scramble to make up the funding gap left. This is, at least in part, the reason for the state legislature’s greater attention to the issue of homelessness.

For Texas, the major cities with some of the largest homeless populations, like San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas, the funding gap has them up at the legislature seeking support. 

Haven for Hope says that their funding is split between public and private funding, with 70% coming from public sources and 30% coming from private individuals and organizations. “Private funding is a critical component to Haven’s model.” 

While they are better situated than some service providers who rely more heavily on public funds, Behling says they still intend to engage with the legislature on whatever they do to address homelessness in Texas.

“We’re following every bill that is touching homelessness.”