Salvation Army of Austin to close downtown shelter

AUSTIN, Texas - The Salvation Army of Austin will be closing its downtown shelter.

The downtown location has been the cornerstone of their charity services for decades, but the organization says the building is aging and in disrepair.

"The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the challenges of operating this facility with the staff and support necessary, and it is no longer tenable to continue investing in the necessary infrastructure," says Salvation Army Austin Area Command Major Lewis Reckline in a statement.

Three years ago, the charity opened the Rathgeber Center in East Austin, which the Salvation Army says has helped more than 1,000 homeless adults and children.

The Salvation Army is working to relocate everyone at the downtown shelter, but a timeline hasn't been released yet.