Austin's New Haven

Information by State  Print version   Manor House will soon be home to eleven Texans Sam Higgins (left) is Manor House's first resident. Luz Solis Day and Elva Castillo of the HUD San Antonio office join Sam and his mother, Vera Maten-Brooks (right)

The dynamic partnership between HUD and the Volunteers of America Texas (VOAT), a faith-based non-profit organization, has produced an aesthetically pleasing project where Texans with challenges can now obtain affordable, safe and decent housing. VOAT received a capital advance from HUD to develop the project. The City of Austin and Austin Finance Corporation secured HOME funds to supplement construction.

The City's SMART program aided construction by waiving city fees. HUD also provides project rental assistance allowing the development to be affordable to persons with disabilities. Austin's Mayor, the Honorable Will Wynn and HUD San Antonio Field Office Director, Luz Solis Day, presided over the Grand Opening Ceremonies.

Manor House will soon become home to eleven Texans! With improved technology, enhanced landscaping techniques, and attention to the local environment, Manor House serves as a model of HUD's vision for improving the life of our citizens. The facility retained the maximum amount of native trees and other greenery and incorporated the natural beauty of the picturesque Austin terrain. Each unit overlooks the unforgettable Austin panorama.

Each resident of Manor House will have a caseworker and access to a variety of human services. With some help from organizations such as the Austin/Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Agency and the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, residents will be allowed to live independently and be productive members of the community.

For many of the future residents, Manor House will not only be a home, but an expression of independence and well-being that will enable them to improve the quality of their lives.

Together we are making a difference!