Austin has a new place for people coming out of homelessness to land, and it took about four years to get it built.
The nonprofit Foundation Communities cut the ribbon on Burleson Studios on Wednesday, Oct. 14. KVUE reported that the community sits near Burleson Road and U.S. 183, not far from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. It has 104 apartments, and 50 of them are open to people who receive housing vouchers, including vouchers for people experiencing chronic homelessness and for veterans.
"This is our 10th supportive housing community," Foundation Communities Executive Director Walter Moreau told the station. "Supportive housing is designed for folks who've been homeless or at high risk to really provide stability and support for folks to get back on their feet."
More than 900 people are on the waitlist, according to KVUE, and residents are expected to start moving in within about a month.
What got built
Foundation Communities' property page lists the address as 7905 Burleson Road and describes 104 furnished efficiency studios for single adults. Rents range from $585 to $1,475 with utilities included. Applicants must have an income below $44,100.
The state's accessibility project registry, kept by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, describes the job as new ground-up construction of a three-story apartment building of about 79,500 square feet, with surface parking and amenities. The registry lists an estimated cost of $21 million and a start date of Sept. 1, 2024.
Residents will have intensive case management, a food pantry, a fitness room, a computer room, laundry, a community room and outdoor gathering spaces. There's also an on-site health facility, along with an outdoor courtyard and a fenced dog run. The property page lists 24-hour on-site staff, controlled access and nearby public transit, plus classes in money management and adult education for residents who want them.
Many hands on the money
KVUE reported the project relied on a mix of public and private funding. One piece came from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas. In a release from FHLB Dallas, the bank said a $1.56 million Affordable Housing Program grant, made through Wells Fargo, went toward development costs.
The bank's release adds another detail. Foundation Communities developed Burleson Studios in collaboration with Mobile Loaves & Fishes as part of the Burleson Road Expansion of Community First! Village. FHLB Dallas said it has provided more than $9 million over several years to help expand Community First! Village.
"This will be our most innovative and services-rich housing community," Moreau said in the FHLB Dallas release. "We are excited to see the success it will bring for residents of Burleson Studios."
Christopher Rios, a regional vice president at Wells Fargo, said everyone deserves "a safe, stable place to call home."
The KVUE story also included a resident of Bluebonnet Studios, another Foundation Communities property. David Miller said having his own apartment let him build friendships after being homeless. "You need a place to live," he said.
One note for anyone trying to get a spot: Foundation Communities' waitlist page describes the Burleson Studios list as an interested list rather than a traditional waitlist and says leasing appointments will be set by lottery.
Why it matters for Contractors
Supportive housing like Burleson Studios is real construction work, not just a social services story. A three-story, 104-unit building worth an estimated $21 million is a solid job for any general contractor and the trades that follow, from site work and framing to mechanical, electrical, plumbing and finishes.
These projects come with extra layers. When the funding comes from a mix of public and private sources, as it did here, each source can bring its own reporting, accessibility and inspection requirements, and the contractor has to keep all of them straight. The building also has to hold more than apartments: offices for case managers, a health space, a food pantry and community rooms.
Contractors who understand how nonprofit housing developers work, and who can keep a project on budget when the money comes from many places, will find steady opportunities. With more than 900 people already lined up for 104 apartments here, the demand is plain to see. Builders who want this kind of work should get to know the nonprofit developers and funders behind it.