AUSTIN (KXAN) — A local homelessness advocacy group has partnered with the city of Austin to lead the city’s Homelessness Advisory Council, or AHAC, starting on Wednesday, according to a city press release.
The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, or ECHO, will step in to oversee the AHAC, which was previously under the city’s watch since 2017. The change will give AHAC “more influence across the community’s Homelessness Response System (HRS),” the release states.
ECHO and AHAC worked together since the latter’s formation. That included hosting AHAC meetings and events. Now, ECHO will lead the “facilitation, agenda planning, and administrative support for AHAC.”
“ECHO’s coordination will broaden the scope of services and policies AHAC informs while allowing AHAC to remain a resource for City departments and community organizations seeking guidance from individuals who have experienced homelessness,” the release states.
Matt Mollica, ECHO’s executive director, said his organization is “excited and grateful” for the opportunity.
“People who have had to access housing and services through our system are keenly aware of areas we can do better and what is working well,” Mollica said in the release. “A closer relationship with AHAC will allow us to better audit our work from the lens of lived experience. The result will be better policies and programs so that everyone in Austin has the housing of their choice.”
The release included comments from AHAC members as well. Tracey Moody, one of those members, said they look forward to growing AHAC’s outreach.
“AHAC is a real-life representation of what is happening, we put a face on what has happened and what can happen. We’re finding solutions and getting them to the people that can do the most good,” Moody said in the release. “I’m looking forward to doing more! To being exposed to more, more opportunities to expand our outreach on a larger scale.”
Member Michael Davis said that AHAC is an “important tool for stakeholders in our community.”
“Any program using lived experience to make policy is advantageous in my opinion,” Davis said. “ECHO’s reach to the community is very broad! I myself am excited to work with such professional and friendly people.”