Katie Wilson Shares a Roadmap to Reducing Homelessness in San Antonio

At the May 6 luncheon of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, members welcomed Katie Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Close to Home and Chair of the Mayor’s Housing Commission, to discuss the realities of homelessness in San Antonio and the collaborative efforts underway to address it. Wilson shared how Close to Home and its Alliance to House Everyone partners are working to align funding, services, and community strategy to create lasting solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness across Bexar County.

Understanding the Drivers of Homelessness

Wilson emphasized that homelessness is not an abstract issue, but one impacting thousands of individuals in San Antonio every day. More than 3,000 people are experiencing homelessness on any given night in the community, while rising housing costs, stagnant wages, medical crises, and gaps in mental health care continue to put more residents at risk.

She explained that affordable housing shortages remain one of the largest challenges facing San Antonio. Renters now need to earn nearly $58,000 annually to afford average housing costs, while many families earn far less. Wilson also highlighted the growing strain on households living paycheck to paycheck, noting that many residents have little to no savings available to absorb emergencies such as job loss, illness, or unexpected expenses.

For individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, Wilson discussed the critical need for expanded mental health and substance use treatment services. She shared that many people’s conditions worsen the longer they remain without stable housing, reinforcing the importance of timely intervention and supportive services.

A Coordinated Community Response

Wilson described Close to Home’s role as the Continuum of Care Lead Agency for San Antonio and Bexar County, managing more than $25 million annually in HUD funding and coordinating efforts among more than 90 partner organizations through the Alliance to House Everyone.

Rather than providing direct services, Close to Home works to strengthen and align the community’s homelessness response system. Wilson explained how collaboration between nonprofits, healthcare providers, government agencies, foundations, schools, and private sector partners is essential to addressing such a complex issue.

One key initiative highlighted during the presentation was HomeLink, San Antonio’s coordinated entry system designed to connect individuals and families with the housing and services best suited to their needs. Wilson stressed the importance of creating a “no wrong door” approach so that anyone seeking assistance can quickly access resources and support.

Wilson also shared encouraging progress from recent years, including significant reductions in veteran homelessness and chronic homelessness. She pointed to permanent supportive housing programs as one of the most effective interventions, noting that more than 98% of participants in these programs remain stably housed.

How the Community Can Help

While acknowledging the challenges ahead, Wilson expressed optimism about San Antonio’s ability to make meaningful progress through collaboration, compassion, and long-term planning. She outlined three critical pillars needed to reduce homelessness: prevention efforts to keep people housed before a crisis occurs, an effective crisis response system with shelter and treatment capacity, and expanded affordable and supportive housing options.

Wilson encouraged attendees to become involved by supporting local nonprofits, volunteering with outreach efforts, participating in the annual Point-in-Time Count, and advocating for affordable housing developments throughout the community.

She also encouraged Rotarians to use person-first language when discussing homelessness and to remember the humanity of those experiencing housing instability. Wilson closed by reminding attendees that homelessness is ultimately a community issue that requires shared responsibility and collective action.

“Homelessness is solvable,” Wilson said. “San Antonio has every ingredient we need — the partnerships, the data, the compassion, and a roadmap to guide us.”