The Texas Village Rethinking Homelessness

Alan Graham's motivation to change the lives of the chronically homeless led him to establish Community First Village. His personal background and innovative approach have provided a new model for addressing homelessness.

Alan Graham's personal experiences with homelessness and mental illness motivated him to create a new model for addressing chronic homelessness

Alan Graham grew up with a mother who struggled with mental illness, which significantly impacted him, instilling empathy towards those with similar challenges. This personal experience led Graham, a successful Austin-based real estate developer, to search for more meaningful work. He began serving meals to homeless individuals in Austin through his church. He consistently saw the same people on the streets, which highlighted for him the ineffectiveness of the current aid systems and sparked his interest in a community-based housing solution.

Graham leveraged his business connections and persistence to make Community First Village a reality, despite initial opposition from nearby residents

Graham approached the Austin mayor with a proposal to create a community project for the chronically homeless, where he would manage the project and raise the necessary funds. The mayor was supportive, stating that Austin needed four such communities. Although the city council initially approved the land grant, residents' apprehension about issues such as property values and drug use halted the project.

Determined, Graham rai ...

Community First Village, a carefully designed community, rethinks the approach to dealing with chronic homelessness through its unique structure and resident-driven focus.

The village's design and amenities are tailored to the unique needs of the chronically homeless population

At Community First Village, residents are provided with their own standalone tiny homes or mobile homes, which furthers their independence and privacy. This setup is considered particularly beneficial for those who have been living on the streets for a long time. The design intentionally avoids shared walls, preventing issues like bedbugs from spreading and reducing disturbances between neighbors. Individual homes help to create a more stable living environment, which is particularly important if a resident is having an episode that could potentially disrupt neighbors.

Alan Graham, the visionary behind the community, drew inspiration from the communal aspect of RV parks where despite small living spaces, there is a natural tendency for residents to come out to cook and socialize. Lucy Tompkins notes that the design gives people a sense of autonomy and the feeling that it's their own space.

The community also includes communal spaces and organizes weekly events like the Steiner Ranch Dinner, contributing to a strong sense of community and encouraging residents to interact. Such events and spaces allow residents to step out of their homes and engage with neighbors, fostering mutual support and community interaction.

Community First Village operates with a flexible, harm-reduction approach that prioritizes building relationships and providing a stable living environment

The village upholds a flexible model and a harm-reduction approach which prioritizes relationship building and the establishment of a stable living environment. Rather than enforce sobriety or other rigid requirements, the focus is on maintaining community standards. Lucy Tompkins explains that the village acknowledges the chronic issues faced by the homeless population without att ...

The story of resident Justin Tyler Jr. illustrates the ongoing challenges and non-linear progress that many chronically homeless individuals face

Justin Tyler Jr., a resident at Community First Village, illustrates the winding road many face in their journey out of chronic homelessness.

Tyler had a tumultuous history, marked by homelessness, health issues, and addiction. He grew up in a military family, leading a transient lifestyle, struggled with school, and started working at a young age. His life spiraled into disarray manifesting in regular drinking benders, a failed marriage, and approximately eight years of intermittent homelessness where he took on odd jobs and eventually lived on the streets.

His downward spiral was exacerbated by drinking, deteriorating his health until a social worker introduced him to Community First Village. Once accepted, for the first time in years, he managed to host his sons overnight and found a semblance of purpose and stability working as an ambassador for new residents, a role which also helped him pay his rent.

Yet his progress was fragile; despite the positive changes at Community First, Tyler was still heavily drinking. He was aware of the available AA meetings but remained uninterested in sobriety. A stark reminder of this fragility came when Tyler attempted to quit drinking abruptly and ended up in the ICU for several days, underscoring the shaky nature of his stability.

The success of Community First Village is not defined by residents achieving a narrow definition of "success," but rather by providing a more compassionate and holistic approach to supporting the chronically homeless

The founder Alan Graham understands that most residents require lifelong support. The village is not about applying temporary fixes or imposing unrealistic expectations of residents' progression to full independence but r ...