Austin TX is rated one of the top cities in America to live in if you are LGBTQIAP2S+. But if you are a poor queer person- that does not apply.

Our Work:

For 5 years, Queertopia has successfully made palaces out of pennies. We simultaneously operated 2 small shelters (QT Main with 7 people & an Air BnB with 12 elders for 5 months) while continuing our outreach at St. John's Park and check-ins with folks who are now housed. This included a freeze week with 44 people from St. John's in a hotel. We chose St. John's as our main outreach service area because it was a freedmen's colony with generational families experiencing homelessness. There are many closeted folks- especially elders- and there is a history of STI outbreaks. Because it is a historically Black area that is being gentrified- approximately 90% of our clients are Black. It is also home to many of Queertopia's members.

Every year since 2021, Queertopia has emergency fundraised for hotel rooms during the winter. Queertopia fundraises for rooms for Juneteenth each year as well. The ONLY damage report we have EVER had was 3 people taking a hotel pillow one time lol. We work hard to defeat the stigma that hotel managers have against renting rooms to the unhoused- and it is done by trusting our community to respect us (and making sure there is food in all the rooms).

For almost 4 of the 5 years Queertopia has existed, we operated the only shelter in Travis County/ Austin, TX prioritizing Black and Indigenous trans folks, sex workers of color, and Black elders. In this time, 52 people passed through (up to 7 at a time. 12 during emergency camp closure weeks). 94% of residents moved directly to housing or a more robust shelter program. Some folks stayed for a year- some just for a night. We did not put a time restriction on anyone's journey. We did not require sobriety. We did not check pockets or bags. We did not have curfew- because there is no curfew in the "real world".

This makeshift shelter aka QT Main had NO government funding, no funding assistance from other organizations with larger pockets or access to large donors, no grant funding (aside from 1 grant for repairs after it closed). The shelter operated on a combination of public donations largely made through Instagram posts, and the founders' savings. It also operated on food banks, food donations, partnerships, and the residents them/ourselves. It has been devastating not being able to provide immediate support since closing the shelter. But it never should have existed out of someone’s home for that long.

With QT Main shelter closed, we have been doing eviction prevention support- and are about to open our Trans Eviction Prevention Fund. We are in the process of switching to do more targeted outreach with trans clients who request assistance vs focusing most energy on folks from outreach and occasional referrals.

Our main goal though, is to be able to provide shelter for the community we serve once again!

How You Can Help:

We have FINALLY gotten a ray of light with a $100,000 donation match. If we are able to reach this match, bringing us to $200K, it will be enough to put a down payment on a sizable building & about a year's worth of taxes to be able to open an official shelter.

It would be AMAZING if this fund went viral and raised MONEY MONEY so we could buy a building in full and have paid staff. (Did we mention we have been doing this for 5 years without salaries)? But we can do anything once we have the building (and are following code enforcements- which we are working with the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance on both).

Due to the government hating trans and queer people- this money really needs to come from us so that they cannot take it away from us or control how it is used. (Looking at you, Austin celebrities looking to put your money where your mouth is).

In a recent study we did with 100 trans folks who have previously or are currently experiencing homelessness in Austin TX, half of the participants have never stayed in a shelter for fear of discrimination or lack of access. 64 people reported discrimination from housing providers in Travis County.

Of the respondents that have stayed in a shelter, the majority- 40 people- reported discrimination from service providers in those shelters. 36 people reported discrimination from other shelter residents. Additionally, 27 people, which is MORE THAN HALF of the trans folks from our sample group, reported sexual abuse while at a shelter in Austin TX.

When given the choice- 36 people would prefer to stay in a shelter specifically for trans and gender non-conforming people, 17 people would prefer an integrated shelter with higher accountability for transphobia than what currently exists, and 47 would like both to exist.

83% of participants have been misgendered AFTER stating their pronouns and 58% have been deadnamed AFTER giving their name. 62% of participants have had to change their gender expression- 24 of these were by a service provider.

This shows the immense need for a shelter run by and for the LGBTQ+ community in Austin, to provide people with a safe place that they feel welcome and comfortable in. With your help, we can get one step closer to making Austin truly one of the top cities to live in for ALL LGBTQ+ people by supporting the Queer unhoused community.

Donate to Queertopia today, and share widely, ever

For tax receipts: EIN 87-1984870

For checks, please contact!