SAN ANTONIO — A pilot program designed to quickly secure permanent housing for San Antonio’s chronically homeless community is showing signs of progress within the first two months.
The City of San Antonio and SAMMinistries are working together in the federally-funded program to serve men and women who’ve lived on the streets for at least a year.
These are individuals who may not have qualified for other programs such as Haven for Hope for a variety of reasons, including criminal conduct and active drug abuse.
For about nine weeks, the hotel-turned homeless shelter downtown, has sparked renewed hope for many in the houseless community.
Angel Adam Zulaica, 54, is one of those people on the road to recovery.
He’s been living on the streets for the past seven years after living three decades in Florida.
No job combined with substance abuse, among other factors, landed Zulaica on the streets.
“The worst horrible, most horrible experience ever but luckily I made it through, but the streets definitely won,” Zulaica said.
But that changed two weeks. Zulaica now has a temporary roof over his head at the SAMMinistries-run facility.
Unlike the ordinary person out in public, Zulaica feels comfortable and appreciative for the sense of humanity exuded by shelter staff.
“The help has been wonderful, very nice, not treating us as if we are homeless,” he said.
Out of 66 homeless people who have spent time at the shelter, nearly 30 have earned permanent housing in addition to a host of other services that’ve continued beyond securing shelter.
“This is a last opportunity probably for some of those folks to be connected quickly to a housing intervention,” said Gay Lynn Schwenk, chief operating officer at SAMMinistries.
“Which might be to a detox program or to a hospital for medical care, a hospital for mental health care, get connected to whatever services that they’re needing as well as making sure that they’re connected to a longer-term housing program,” she added.
Schwenk noted about eight people have either voluntary left the shelter or were forced out due to safety reasons.
Outreach workers visit with homeless communities across San Antonio, educating them on the opportunities available through SAMMinistries and the pilot program.
Schwenk hopes the 27/7 model of care as exemplified through this program expands beyond just a year.
“We want to offer – be a part of offering a solution that is something that respects people’s dignity as well as saves the community costs,” she said.
As for Zulaica, he’s longing for the day when he can live in a place he can call his own.
To learn more about SAMMinistries, click here.
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