Although specifics are being kept under wraps, a local coalition of agencies and service providers will present a long-term homelessness-response proposal to the San Angelo City Council on Tuesday, following years of preparation and collaboration.
Mike Burnett, executive director of the Concho Valley Community Action Agency and chair of the Concho Valley Homeless Planning Coalition, confirmed that the team has been working on a coordinated plan to better serve individuals experiencing homelessness across the region.
“As a coalition, we had a small group working for the past four or five years on a long-term solution to safely house our homeless individuals, and homeless neighbors, and provide services to them that help them transition out of homelessness,” Burnett told The Concho Observer in an interview.
According to Burnett, engagement with city leadership began in late 2021, with formal momentum growing in early 2024, through the creation of a dedicated task force focused on identifying local needs and crafting a regional solution.
While the full proposal will not be made public until after the council meeting, Burnett emphasized that it reflects community feedback, research into best practices, and lessons from existing outreach programs already underway in San Angelo.
Burnett said current local estimates indicate that more than 300 individuals may be experiencing homelessness on any given night in San Angelo and surrounding areas. That number is higher than the official federal count from 2024, but in line with regional trends seen in other cities.
“These numbers show that there is a need for a solution,” he said.
Burnett also noted that the proposal has been developed with long-term outcomes in mind, informed by conversations with partner agencies, service providers, and community stakeholders.
“This is planning for the future,” he said.
The coalition has conducted a formal community needs assessment to better understand priorities among homeless and at-risk individuals in the Concho Valley. According to Burnett, the top concerns cited were affordable housing and affordable medical care. The lack of adequate emergency shelter also ranked high on the list.
“We’ll meet so many needs on this project, and I don’t think a lot of people understand just how big these needs are.”
Burnett emphasized that the coalition’s proposal is grounded in evidence, and informed by programs in other parts of the state, including multi-agency campuses in Austin that provide comprehensive services to homeless and low-income populations.
These models have been associated with reduced community costs and better long-term outcomes.
“Almost every state has something like this now,” Burnett said. “It’s not like we have this idea and are seeing where it goes—we’ve done studies, we’ve learned from experts, and we believe this is the right step.”
Details of the proposal will be shared during the City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday. A follow-up article from The Concho Observer with full information about the plan will be published after the presentation.
