COMAL COUNTY, Texas – Nearly four years after a fire forced the Crisis Center of Comal County to accelerate plans for a new facility, leaders say the organization is close to opening a new, expanded shelter designed to improve safety.
The center expects to cut the ribbon on June 25, the organization’s anniversary, said Julie Strentzch of the Crisis Center of Comal County.
Unlike many shelters that keep a low profile, the new facility sits in a prominent location and is protected by gates and layered security measures.
Strentzch said the goal is to increase awareness and reduce stigma while still keeping clients safe.
The shelter uses controlled, key-card access and a layout intended to limit movement inside the facility if someone enters without authorization, Strentzch said. Staff also greet clients as they arrive and guide them through the intake process.
The three-story facility has 36 rooms. The first floor includes offices, services, emergency shelter rooms and a commercial-grade kitchen, according to the center.
The second floor expands emergency housing with larger rooms, three-bedroom suites designed for mothers with larger families and ADA-compliant living space.
Strentzch said the facility’s third floor adds transitional living apartments, part of a program that could allow some clients to stay up to 18 months. She also said a grant supports case management and housing services that can continue as clients move into their own apartments, potentially keeping clients connected to services for up to three years from start to finish.
One notable addition is an on-site Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) suite located inside the shelter. Strentzch said the crisis center is one of only a few agencies with a SANE suite on property. She believes it is the only one housed inside a shelter.
The project’s price tag is nearly $15 million, and the organization has raised about 35% of that so far. Naming opportunities remain available, including the building and individual floors, Strentzch said.
Outside, the facility includes a children’s playground and space to house animals, so clients do not have to leave pets behind when seeking safety.
Strentzch encourages businesses interested in supporting the shelter to call them for a tour.