Lucy Tompkins

It's beautifully landscaped. There's plants and flowers and trees. There's a farm with chickens and vegetables. It's colorful. There's all these tiny homes and mobile homes packed together neatly. And they've sort of filled in the suburban neighborhood with all these other services. We're walking by the hair salon right now. There's a building for elder care. for a community care paramedic.

It's beautifully landscaped. There's plants and flowers and trees. There's a farm with chickens and vegetables. It's colorful. There's all these tiny homes and mobile homes packed together neatly. And they've sort of filled in the suburban neighborhood with all these other services. We're walking by the hair salon right now. There's a building for elder care. for a community care paramedic.

It feels like a cheerful place to live, and that's not what I was used to seeing in covering homelessness. But amid all this charm, so we just walked by a house that has a front porch with a lot of clothes hanging on the railings and there's a dog. There are lots of reminders of who this community actually serves. There's the sheriff's vehicle driving by.

It feels like a cheerful place to live, and that's not what I was used to seeing in covering homelessness. But amid all this charm, so we just walked by a house that has a front porch with a lot of clothes hanging on the railings and there's a dog. There are lots of reminders of who this community actually serves. There's the sheriff's vehicle driving by.

Often when I've come here, there have been emergency vehicles, ambulances. That is a common sight. And then every once in a while walking around, you'll see someone without shoes or pushing a shopping cart full of stuff. Some people are walking around barefoot or talking to themselves. And it's easy to see that the people who live here are dealing with a lot of different complex problems.

Often when I've come here, there have been emergency vehicles, ambulances. That is a common sight. And then every once in a while walking around, you'll see someone without shoes or pushing a shopping cart full of stuff. Some people are walking around barefoot or talking to themselves. And it's easy to see that the people who live here are dealing with a lot of different complex problems.

The best way to understand how Community First came to be is through the guy who invented it, Alan Graham. And could you tell me a little bit about your background? I sat down with him in his home, which is actually in the middle of the village.

The best way to understand how Community First came to be is through the guy who invented it, Alan Graham. And could you tell me a little bit about your background? I sat down with him in his home, which is actually in the middle of the village.

In a mobile home where he lives with his wife. And he kind of walked me through where all this started. Growing up in Houston, he had a mom who struggled with mental illness.

In a mobile home where he lives with his wife. And he kind of walked me through where all this started. Growing up in Houston, he had a mom who struggled with mental illness.

That was really difficult for him to see. And his parents eventually separated.

That was really difficult for him to see. And his parents eventually separated.

He ended up having to take care of his mom himself because of her mental illness. And all of this left a deep impression on him and I think made him more empathetic toward people struggling with similar issues. Eventually, Alan moves to Austin.

He ended up having to take care of his mom himself because of her mental illness. And all of this left a deep impression on him and I think made him more empathetic toward people struggling with similar issues. Eventually, Alan moves to Austin.

He gets his life together and becomes this really successful real estate developer.

He gets his life together and becomes this really successful real estate developer.

But at some point, he said he was starting to ask what else he could do that might be more meaningful. And he attends this men's retreat through his church.

But at some point, he said he was starting to ask what else he could do that might be more meaningful. And he attends this men's retreat through his church.

And he has a sort of religious awakening and eventually starts serving meals once a week to homeless Austinites.

And he has a sort of religious awakening and eventually starts serving meals once a week to homeless Austinites.