In March 2026, the Convene team hosted a community conversation at Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center. Participants shared lived experiences and perspectives related to navigating housing instability, accessing recovery services, and surviving while trying to meet basic needs. Throughout the discussion, community members emphasized the importance of trust, outreach, coordination, and human-centered support.

Participants identified several organizations and supports that are currently helping individuals navigate recovery and housing challenges. Trusted organizations were highlighted as important resources within the community. Participants also described positive experiences with sober centers, recovery programs, churches, soup kitchens, and peer support efforts. Several individuals emphasized the value of people with lived experience helping others navigate recovery and regain stability.

At the same time, participants described major gaps in housing and shelter access across Travis County. Community members discussed the severe shortage of shelter and housing options, particularly for women and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Participants shared concerns about the loss of shelters, women-centered services, and domestic violence programs connected to funding cuts.

Many participants described homelessness as an ongoing cycle of survival that requires constant effort to maintain access to food, shelter, identification documents, transportation, and healthcare. Community members explained that encampment sweeps often result in the loss of critical belongings, including IDs, birth certificates, paperwork, and other documents necessary for housing and employment. Participants emphasized that these losses can significantly disrupt progress toward stability and recovery.

Mental health and substance use services were also identified as major areas of need. Participants discussed the lack of treatment capacity, detox access, ongoing recovery support, and peer support specialists working directly within the community. Long wait times for assessments and complicated intake processes were described as significant barriers that discourage people from seeking or continuing care. Community members also highlighted the need for more mobile mental health services, earlier intervention, and outreach approaches that meet people where they are.

Throughout the discussion, participants emphasized that trust is one of the largest barriers to engagement with services. Community members described fears of being mistreated, losing belongings, or being judged while accessing care. Participants noted that many people are living in “survival mode,” making it difficult to consistently engage with fragmented systems and services that require extensive navigation.

Participants also reflected on the challenges people face accessing basic necessities such as showers, food, hygiene supplies, transportation, and healthcare. Community members described how many services are only available during limited hours or weekdays, leaving people without support on weekends and increasing the likelihood of survival behaviors such as panhandling or theft. Participants expressed strong interest in one-stop service hubs and mobile outreach models that could provide food, showers, case management, healthcare, and recovery support in more accessible ways.

Another major theme was the difficulty many individuals face in obtaining employment while experiencing homelessness or recovery challenges. Participants discussed barriers created by a lack of phones, internet access, identification documents, and transportation. Community members emphasized the need for more day labor opportunities, second-chance employment pathways, and programs that support people in obtaining IDs, phones, and documentation necessary for work and housing.

Women-specific safety concerns also emerged as an important topic throughout the conversation. Participants described fears related to sleeping outdoors, experiences of violence and assault, and the loss of self-protection items during encampment sweeps. Community members also discussed concerns about reduced access to domestic violence shelters, CPS-related supports, and rape kits due to funding cuts and gaps in healthcare coverage.

Throughout the discussion, participants emphasized the importance of stronger coordination between systems, more direct communication with community members, and greater investment in peer-led outreach and support. Community members repeatedly expressed the need for a more unified and collaborative approach that prioritizes dignity, safety, accessibility, and practical support.

Overall, the conversation reinforced the importance of creating systems that are easier to navigate, more trauma-informed, and more responsive to the realities people experience every day. Participants emphasized that successful support systems require trust-building, consistent outreach, centralized resources, and meaningful investment in housing, recovery, mental health, and peer support services.

Key Takeaways

• Participants identified trusted organizations, peer support, and recovery-centered spaces as valuable sources of support within the community.
• Community members described significant gaps in shelter access, housing stability, detox services, recovery support, and women-centered services.
• Encampment sweeps and loss of identification documents were described as major barriers to housing, employment, and recovery.
• Participants emphasized the importance of trust-building, trauma-informed care, and peer-led outreach approaches.
• Access to food, showers, transportation, healthcare, and services on weekends were identified as ongoing challenges.
• Community members highlighted the need for more coordinated systems, one-stop service hubs, mobile outreach models, and expanded employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and recovery challenges.