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Can Rock Rose Ease San Angelo’s Homelessness?

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Mike Burnett has been giving the same pitch for a few years now: the solution to homelessness is easy, he says, just give them homes. Speaking to community meetings more than a few times, Burnett emphasizes the reality of life on the street.

“You can’t get a job without an ID, cant get an ID without mail. And you can’t get mail without an address,” he says. When that need is met, providing people with immediate housing relief however humble, and few or no conditions, it’s called “Housing First.”

Housing First is not a new concept; it’s worked in big cities like Austin (pop. 961,000), and in smaller, regional cities like Little Rock, Arkansas (pop. 202,000). Studies have found that among a survey of 22 housing first projects across the U.S. that were studied, the results were clear. An 88 percent increase in housing retention when compared to previous methods.

Burnett wrote in an opinion published last year: “The Housing First model reverses the traditional approach. Instead of demanding sobriety or employment before offering housing, it provides stable shelter first—and then offers holistic care: services from social service agencies, faith-based organizations, and other entities working to meet each individual’s unique needs.”

They call their project the “Rock Rose Community Campus” – originally it would house facilities to hold events, and many micro homes that would house the homeless, along with facilities.

People would be referred to Rock Rose from other agencies, and congregant shelters, as a first step out of homelessness.