AUSTIN, Texas — The Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center in Austin is rolling out a new digital tool designed to streamline access to housing and support services for individuals experiencing homelessness.

The initiative, created in partnership with the City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy & Operations Office, features “Hotline Pods,” which are private booths that allow users to connect remotely with case managers.

Mark Hilbelink, Director of the Sunrise Navigation Center, said the concept was inspired by lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We realized during COVID, as everybody did, that a lot of the things that we used to think we had to do in person, we can do digitally,” Hilbelink said. “The idea was born of, 'What if we set up a pod? What if we gave people the opportunity to

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