New Braunfels Edition | July 2025

Real estate

BY MADDY MORALES

Nonprot aims to prevent homelessness

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Homeless, unsheltered individuals in Comal County A homeless individual is someone who is without any housing or a permanent residence. An unsheltered individual is someone who lives in a place that is not meant to be a home, such as a car, Cadena said.

Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels o ers four di erent shelter programs for families, Garza-Cadena said. The Eviction Prevention Program helps fam- ilies on the verge of eviction and struggling to pay their bills. The Temporary Shelter Program provides shelter to families who are currently homeless for a duration of 90-120 days. The Shelter Diversion Program helps families who are experiencing homelessness and living in another resident’s home. The program provides nancial assistance to families to help them nd housing of their own. The Stabilization Program provides clients who have gone through the other programs with a case manager who helps ensure the family does not return to homelessness by providing things like budget management, follow-ups and check-ins. Cadena said the stabilization program has a 100% success rate, meaning individuals in the program do not return to homelessness after

Homeless individuals

Unsheltered individuals

Since its establishment in July of 2013, the nonproit organization Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels has committed to combating family homelessness across the city. “Our mission is to transform the lives of families experiencing homelessness because we believe every child deserves a home,” said Rachelle Garza- Cadena, executive director of the nonproit. The shelter can accommodate 10 people and oers a variety of living spaces and amenities for families and children. Cadena said her goal is to make sure every child has a home and that they work closely with the community. “The more that we work together, the more people we can serve, and that is the heartbeat of this organization,” she said.

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130

From 2020-24, Comal County has seen a 250% increase in homeless individuals and a 189% increase in unsheltered individuals.

161

98 45

89 28

46 45

2021

2022 2023 2024

2020

SOURCE: TEXAS HOMELESS NETWORK POINTINTIME COUNT, COMAL COUNTY HOMELESS COALITIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

the six to nine-month period of meeting with an assigned case manager.

Looking ahead

Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels

partner organizations and the community is instrumental in helping Family Promise meet its goals. “Each of us are helping to ght homelessness here in New Braunfels, there’s no competition, it’s about service,” she said.

The New Braunfels Jaycees—an organization for young professionals—are collaborating with Family Promise to renovate the shelter’s yard and playground as part of their city beauti cation projects. The renovation is slated to begin in July and end in August. Cadena said help from

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