'More families on the edge': Austin's rising rents mean there's more need for Season for Caring funds

Three years ago, the Harvey family was doing OK. Sheri Harvey had moved to Austin to be with her son Scott after her husband died. Scott Harvey was doing well in real estate.

Then the pandemic hit. Work dried up. Sheri Harvey's need for medical care because of chronic pain in her spine, arthritis and diabetes meant that the Harveys ran through all of their savings.

They owe months of care at her senior living center. He lost his apartment because of back rent due.

Three years ago, the Kemokai family also was doing OK. Roland Kemokai, a musician, and his wife, Christine, a children's party entertainer, could afford the rent at their Round Rock apartment.

When the pandemic hit, gigs became nonexistent, but they scraped by.

Then, just as people returned to booking musicians and entertainment for children's parties, the Kemokais rent doubled. They moved to a motel, and then a broken-down RV with their two teenage sons, after the motel caught on fire.

These are just two of the 11 featured families in this year's Statesman Season for Caring program. Austin's affordability crisis has hit many of them hard.

Every year, the American-Statesman introduces you to new featured families and individuals who represent the needs in our community. They are nominated by local nonprofit organizations who specialize in providing basic needs to our neighbors.

Since 1999, Season for Caring has raised more than $17 million to help these local nonprofits provide such necessities as rent, transportation, medical care, utilities and food to thousands of their clients.

This year, Season for Caring launches with a $500,000 matching grant from the Sheth Family. Now through Christmas Day, every dollar given to Statesman for Season for Caring, up to $500,000, will be matched with a dollar from the Sheths. Since 2015, the Sheths have given Season for Caring $1 million in donations, not including this year's match.

"We want to encourage every member of the Austin family who can give to participate, as our community is strongest when we all work together," said Brian and Adria Sheth about their continued commitment to Season for Caring. Brian Sheth is the founder and chief executive office of Haveli, a private equity firm based in Austin.

Learn more: Donate to Statesman Season for Caring

When rent rises

This past year, the Season for Caring partner nonprofits have experienced an overwhelming need for client support to help with rising rent costs. In Central Texas, rents rose on average 20.5% from June 2021 to June 2022, according to Charles Heimsath of Capitol Market Research, which tracks rent costs. The average rent was $1,702 a month.

"Housing is the biggest gap we see," said Blake Smith, grants and communications team lead at Family Eldercare, which serves older adults and people with disabilities. "It's the No. 1 thing we need for our clients across every program."

Having access to Season for Caring funds actually saves money, Smith said. Family Eldercare is able to save someone from being evicted or getting into a situation where they become homeless or owe so much in back rent fees that they can never catch up.

"Our community would spend a lot more money trying to get people back into housing," than to keep them from losing housing in the first place, Smith said.

Season for Caring funds are unrestricted, except that they must be used on direct client care, not salaries or other overhead expenses for the nonprofit organizations. Many of the other grants that nonprofits have access to would not cover things like helping someone pay for copies of their birth certificate or Social Security cards, which are necessary for clients to apply for other assistance. Other grants don't cover such basic things as microwaves to heat up meals, fans to keep people cool or adult diapers to keep skin clean.

Without Season for Caring, "a lot of client needs would just go unmet," Smith said.

Where are they now? Catching up with the Statesman's 2021 Season for Caring families

Not enough affordable housing

Foundation Communities, which provides affordable housing to people in Austin, is planning on increasing its emergency assistance fund from $150,000 to $200,000 in the new year. About $75,000 of that comes from Season for Caring donations each year.

With those funds, about 20 families get emergency assistance each month. Without Season for Caring funds, that number would shrink.

Many Foundation Communities families are working several part-time jobs or relying on the gig economy — all of which aren't keeping up with rising cost of living.

"It's putting more families on the edge," said Walter Moreau, executive director of Foundation Communities.

Moreau has seen the scramble that families are experiencing to find affordable housing. Foundation Communities' program to help families with rent currently has a six- to seven-month waiting list.

How to help: Read the stories of this year's families.

Its new North Austin Loretta community, which is almost complete, will have 135 units available, but 2,000 people are on the interest list. It won't begin pre-leasing units until February. "We've never seen that level of interest," he said. Foundation Communities will probably have to use a lottery system to choose residents.

Four more communities are under construction.

Its own communities are not immune to rent increases. Foundation Communities typically is able to cap annual rent increases at about 2%. Because of rising costs for building upkeep, it's going to have to increase monthly rents by 6% next year. "Our decision to go up to 6% was really difficult," Moreau said. "We have to keep up with our operating costs."

When crises happen

For Hospice Austin, Season for Caring funds provide a safety net, said Melinda Marble, communications coordinator for the nonprofit hospice.

"It allows us to keep patients in their own homes," she said. "That's not an exaggeration. ... When someone gets sick, not only do they have to stop working and their income is cut dramatically. As their health declines, their loved one needs to stop working so they can take care of them. Suddenly, their income is cut to zero, and they are living on their savings."

Season for Caring, she said, "is amazing." She estimates that every year more than 100 families receive Season for Caring aid through Hospice Austin.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a lasting effect on many communities.

"To get them back on their feet, that's still hard," said Simone Talma Flowers, executive director of Interfaith Action of Central Texas, an Austin nonprofit that brings people of different faiths together. "Dealing with the cost of living here is still hard."

Interfaith Action of Central Texas has two different programs that are highlighted in Season for Caring this year. Its refugee program has seen an increase in people from Afghanistan and is now starting to see refugees from Ukraine. It also has a housing repair program. "We have so many people in that program that just need so much help," Talma Flowers said.

The federal, state and city aid Interfaith Action of Central Texas uses to help its families would not be enough for the rent and utilities it helps pay for clients. Some folks the group helps also don't qualify for government funds.

"There are many who just fall through the cracks," Talma Flowers said.

Season for Caring aid becomes the bridge, Talma Flowers says. It also uplifts families financially and emotionally.

Season for Caring delivers "a sense of value, of shared community love. You elevate people to a level — 'my life is so worthy,'" she said.

"You all change lives," Talma Flowers said.

More Season for Caring

Read the stories on Pages 1E-7E. Find the donation coupon on Page 12E.

Find more Season for Caring photos, videos and stories and make a donation at statesman.com/seasonforcaring.

More ways to help

Now through Christmas Day, $500,000 in donations will be matched by the Sheth family.

P. Terry's Giving Back Day, with all profits going to Season for Caring, will be Dec. 10.

Driskill Hotel's Cookies for Caring cookie tins, also benefiting Season for Caring, are on sale at driskillhotel.com.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin's rising rents increase need for Season for Caring funds