TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Mobile Loaves and Fishes (MLF) is helping to combat homelessness in northeast Travis County.
On Wednesday, the nonprofit organization broke ground on an expansion of its Community First! Village. This expansion will add another 1,400 homes to the already 400-home community.
“Building a neighborhood of this magnitude that is uniquely focused on serving the city’s most vulnerable neighbors – men and women who are experiencing chronic homelessness – requires collaboration across all parts of the community," MLF Founder and CEO Alan Graham said. "We are grateful for the level of support and collaboration we’ve experienced that’s made it possible to continue growing Community First! Village and serving our friends who need us most."
Community First! Village renderings for neighborhood project
The expansion will take place at two sites, the Hog Eye Road expansion and at the Burleson Road property. This expansion will include townhomes and community buildings, which could include an outdoor kitchen or a laundry, restroom or shower facility.
“It’s all about relationships and building a tighter-knit community,” Graham said. “Our Neighborhoods of Knowingness model allows us a better way to create the level of intimate human-to-human, heart-to-heart connections that are absolutely critical to every human being.”
The organization plans to have residents move into the new homes by 2025.
A fourth phase of the Community First! Village is in the works and will add 76 acres of residential and community space off of Burleson Road. When the project is completed, Community First! Village will have a total of 1,900 homes across 178 acres and will be able to help house more than 350 formerly homeless people.
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