To be eligible to live in Community First! Village, an individual must be chronically homeless as defined in the City of Austin’s Action Plan to End Homelessness:
The definition of chronic homelessness:
- Living in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or an emergency shelter for at least one year (or four episodes within the past three years) and having at least one disability.
- Residing in an institutional care facility, including a jail or substance abuse or mental health treatment facility, hospital, or other similar facility, for fewer than 90 days if all of the criteria in paragraph (a) are met before entering that facility.
- Couch surfing does not count towards your homeless history.
All potential Community First! Village residents are required to complete the Coordinated Assessment, be fingerprinted and agree to a criminal background check processed by the FBI. To ensure that Community First! is addressing the problem of chronic homelessness in Austin, we will require potential residents to demonstrate proof of homeless dwelling for at least one year within the Austin metropolitan area. Here are more details on How to Apply for a Home at Community First! Village.
