BELL COUNTY, Texas — Housing authorities and facilities that help the unhoused in Bell County are at capacity.
In order to combat this problem and get people into homes, Temple and Killeen have banded together to create Arbor of Hope.
Arbor of Hope is a program that'll establish facilities in both cities, that will bring programs and housing that can serve the hundreds of people in both cities who need it.
City officials tell 6 News there are almost seven-hundred people who are without a home between Killeen and Temple. 75% of those people are on the streets because of a drug related issue.
"What that organization is designed to do is be able to move people strategically out of homelessness," Killeen Community Development Administrator Rashawn Smith said.
For one woman, Susan Trussell, Arbor of Hope could have kept her off the streets when she lost her apartment almost a year ago.
"Never in my wildest imagination did I think I'd be homeless," Trussell said.
Trussell lives on disability and is not able to work. Last summer, her rent went up $500, forcing her out on the streets because she could not afford rent anymore.
"When I first became homeless, I was terrified," she said.
Trussell had applied for affordable housing, but she said most places had a year long waiting list.
She said if Arbor of Hope would've been around, she would not have had a problem finding a new home.
Today, because of the help of a good friend, she has somewhere to live and she's also part of creating the design team for Arbor of Hope.
"There's going to be gardens and farm animals, it's going to be amazing," she added.
Temple's Director of Housing Nancy Glover said nothing has been built just yet.
They expect to have programs that will assist peoples' mental and physical well-being. There will also be programs to help people work their way out of drug abuse.
"There will even be tiny homes on the property," she added.
A board will be appointed to the project at the end of the month. Nothing is expected to go into effect until 2024.