Homelessness is broken down into three categories: 

• Literally Homeless 
  • Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. 
• Imminent Risk of Homelessness 
  • Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days 
  • Has no subsequent residence, AND 
  • lacks resource or network to obtain permanent stable housing. 
• Unaccompanied Youth (under the age of 25) 
  • No lease, ownership, or occupancy in permanent housing. 
  • Persistent measure of instability (multiple moves within 60 days, “couch surfing”) AND 
  • Expected to continue in such status for an extended period due to special needs or barriers. 
• Fleeing or attempting to flee Domestic Violence (DV) o Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence o Has no other residence AND o Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing

The Homeless Connections Hotline (210.207.1799) is available for individuals to call in and The city of San Antonio have a variety of resources that individuals can consult.

• A “can do” attitude and spirit of innovation. The community’s ability to quickly respond to the emerging needs among persons experiencing homelessness reflects a “can do” attitude and spirit of innovation that is unique to San Antonio. 
• Culture of compassion and empathy. The City is “an inherent collaborative and compassionate city” with a desire to develop compassionate solutions to homelessness. 
• Strong public-private partnerships to support homelessness efforts. This creates a stronger base of homelessness initiatives than relying on public funding alone. 
• Well-established network of homeless service providers. Stakeholders widely recognized the expertise and strengths of existing homeless service providers. 
• Increasing engagement of partners from outside the homeless response system. Several organizations outside the homeless response system expressed excitement at increased engagement around preventing and ending homelessness in San Antonio. 
• Ethos of continuous improvement. Stakeholders demonstrate a commitment to trying new models and expand on current successes to decrease homelessness in San Antonio. 
• Strong data systems and wide participation. Agencies across San Antonio, both within and outside the homeless response system, actively participate in entering data into the 5-Year Strategic Plan to Respond to Homelessness in San Antonio and Bexar County 9 homeless management information system (HMIS), which increases its utility both to provide services and improve systems.

The City of San Antonio supports the community’s efforts to end homelessness through participation on the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless to End Homelessness Continuum of Care and support and coordination with community based services providers.

Street Outreach is moving beyond the walls of our agency to directly engage with our homeless population, who are often disconnected and alienated. A DHS Outreach Team member is assigned to each of the 10 council districts, in where they work with SAFFE Officers, Code Enforcement, neighborhood associations, businesses and other community stakeholders to inform and develop a compassionate strategy to address homelessness within their districts.

Homeless Services Division’s focus is to provide access to homeless services by moving individuals from unsheltered uninhabitable locations to safe housing/shelters and supportive services. Encampment removals or abatements are conducted after an assessment of the area determines the health, safety and welfare of the inhabiting population is at risk. Drainage channels/ditches, flood plains, and city right of ways are some of the area’s that present risk to our homeless neighbors. Along with the health and safety of our population, the city has an obligation to preserve the environment and restore them to their natural state. The Homeless Abatement teams and Street Outreach work collaboratively to ensure that access to services and shelter are provided with engagement prior to and during the removals.

The city of San Antonio regularly post volunteer opportunities through SA Volunteer, United Way and GivePulse. If you are interested in learning about additional ways to help, you can learn more about our Alternative Giving Campaign and how to build long term sustainable change in the lives of our homeless neighbors. If you or your organization provides other essential services that can benefit the homeless (haircuts, vaccinations, health checks, etc.), you can register your organization here or contact us.