fast secure housing for displaced communities
what we do
Sanctuary PBC is a mission-driven public benefit corporation that helps first responders, advocates, and service organizations rapidly and securely place displaced individuals—initially domestic violence survivors—into immediate emergency housing.
We provide a trauma-informed, mobile-first platform that enables real-time hotel room placement and support at no cost to the person in crisis.
why we do it…
Why and how we address the displacement epidemic for victims?
Victims of domestic violence and their families are becoming unhoused and experiencing permanent displacement and then housing insecurity and homelessness when leaving their abuse.
This problem, if not addressed immediately creates unsurmountable hardship, financial ruin, and possible escalated violence.
Victim displacement happens because of overcrowded shelters and siloed, inaccessible resources needed when a victim is looking to restabilize and recover immediately after leaving their abuse.
What law enforcement and service providers face when they assist a displaced victim?
When a first responder or advocate arrives at the scene of an aggravated assault call or domestic violence call, they are confronted with a difficult situation.
Many times, the abuser and the survivor are both present or the abuser is nearby and knows EVERY location a victim might go to seek escape.
The faster and more smoothly the first responder or advocate can find a safe haven for the victim, the sooner the dangerous situation can be resolved. This is where our Hotel Safety Net program comes in.
For more information or a presentation, email us at info@sanctuaryishere.com.
What happens to those victims who can not find shelter?
For officers on patrol, not being able to find a safe environment to place a victim is real issue and can take hours and even days.
Often these victims have no where to go because their abuser/perpetrator knows the victim’s routine, where why work, their network of family and friends, and will stalk and harass these victims.
Out of desperation, many victims will return home to their abusers. These victims often return home to intensified violence and 13% of those victims die at the hands of their abusers.
The other growing outcome is the alarming numbers of victims who become permanently unhoused and displaced because of the immense financial cost of re-locating and starting over.
The SANCTUARY Platform can place displaced persons quickly, safely, and confidentially.
WHO WE SERVE…
SANCTUARY has identified 39% of the current unhoused/homeless/displaced (UHD) population in the city of Austin have self-identified as victims of some sort of domestic abuse and the abuse has served as a contributing factor to their housing insecurity.
This population traditionally is living in the “FRINGE”, just at or below 200% poverty level and making less than $25,520 a year.
This population cannot afford to stabilize themselves after abuse and run the very real risk of becoming chronically unhoused and displaced.
During COVID-19 pandemic, cases of domestic violence increased exponentially as victims found themselves isolated with their abuser for an undetermined period of time. Unfortunately, this lead to more violence and even death.
Shelters are full to capacity and their current residents are choosing not to leave because they have very few housing options. It is also unsafe for these victims to live with family and friends because of the uncertainty of COVID-19, how it is spread and the lack of testing available. Victims have to choose between the virus and their intensified violence at home.
