AUSTIN, Texas — Austin’s yearslong investment in housing and homelessness response efforts appears to be paying off, according to new data from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO).
The 2025 State of the System Report -which covers data from 2019-2024- shows measurable gains in both housing placements and shelter capacity. It also shows the first decline in new homelessness in five years.
ECHO reports that Austin’s number of emergency shelter beds has grown by 70% since 2022, and permanent housing beds are up 35%. More than 3,000 people moved into permanent housing in 2024 and the average wait time from housing assessment to move-in dropped by 25%…