Programs & Services

Camp Haven Sanctuary Program 

Camp Haven Sanctuary provides comprehensive, trauma-informed services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Bastrop County, Texas. Our program goes beyond temporary shelter—we offer a holistic path to stability through safe housing, nutritious meals, hygiene facilities, healthcare coordination, mental health support, and job placement assistance.

Rooted in the belief that housing is a human right and dignity is non-negotiable, our services are designed to meet people where they are and help them move forward. We work closely with local partners to address barriers like disability, domestic violence, and unemployment, with special attention to the needs of veterans, survivors, families, and marginalized populations.

Camp Haven is not just a place to stay—it’s a launchpad for healing, growth, and reintegration into the community. By combining humanitarian aid with practical solutions, our program empowers individuals to reclaim stability and thrive with dignity.

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Statement of Need:

Because Bastrop County lacks a coordinated Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), it currently does not collect or maintain the kind of real-time, comprehensive data on homelessness that is available in neighboring counties. As a result, we must look to nearby Austin/Travis County—where a robust HMIS is in place—for insight into regional trends and the scale of need.

Without accurate local data, it is difficult to measure the full extent of homelessness in Bastrop County or effectively coordinate services. Camp Haven Sanctuary recognizes this gap and is actively working to raise funds to implement an HMIS system for Bastrop County. This system would enable more accurate tracking, better service coordination, and increased access to state and federal funding—all critical components in addressing homelessness in our community.

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Bastrop County Context

In contrast, Travis County (Austin) maintains a robust HMIS and conducts annual data collection that gives valuable insight into homelessness trends. For example, the 2025 Point-In-Time Count recorded 3,238 unhoused individuals, a 36% increase from 2023, while ECHO’s May 2024 At-a-Glance report identified 6,235 people experiencing homelessness on a single day. This kind of consistent, detailed data enables informed decisions, targeted funding, and effective response strategies.

While Bastrop County does not currently conduct similar formal counts, we can look to Travis County’s data as a regional indicator to estimate local need. Given Bastrop’s economic challenges, the actual scale of homelessness is likely underreported but substantial.

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Bastrop County Snapshot

• The 2023 Census estimates Bastrop County’s population at approximately 115,000.

• 12% live below the poverty line, and 16.5% face severe housing problems.

• Over half of all households report insufficient assets to meet basic needs.

• 43% of households are income-constrained despite employment.

• Poverty disproportionately affects marginalized communities: 11.9% of Hispanic/Latinx and 24.5% of Black residents, compared to 9.2% of White residents.

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Implications & Comparative Insights

Travis County’s data offers valuable insight into likely trends in Bastrop County:

• Chronic homelessness affects around 30% of the unhoused population.

• About 60% report at least one disabling condition.

• Black individuals are six times more likely than white individuals to experience homelessness.

• Youth (ages 13–24) represent roughly 10%, and families about 11% of the homeless population.

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Service Engagement

• In 2023, over 24,300 individuals sought homelessness-related services in Travis County.

• Nearly 8,400 were first-time clients, and over 3,000 individuals were placed into permanent housing—a 50% increase from the prior year.

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Mortality & Health

• Between 2018 and 2023, more than 1,000 unhoused individuals in Travis County died.

• In 2023 alone, the average was 22 deaths per month.

• The average age of death for people experiencing homelessness was just 50 years, roughly 20 years younger than the general housed population.

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In Summary

• Bastrop County lacks the infrastructure to gather and analyze real-time homelessness data, limiting visibility into urgent local needs.

• Camp Haven Sanctuary is committed to closing this gap by implementing a county-wide HMIS.

• In the meantime, regional comparisons—especially with data-rich Travis County—offer a critical lens to inform services, outreach, and policy.

• Addressing homelessness effectively in Bastrop requires both data-driven systems and compassionate, community-based solutions.

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