City Backs $30M Rock Rose Campus to Tackle Homelessness

 

SAN ANGELO, TX — In a unanimous 7-0 vote Tuesday morning, the San Angelo City Council approved a resolution supporting a partnership between the City of San Angelo and the Concho Valley Community Action Agency (CVCAA) to create the Rock Rose Community Campus — a regional hub for coordinated homelessness and poverty relief services.

The new campus, to be located on 11.8 acres of city-owned land in central San Angelo, is designed to serve as a one-stop service center for low-income and unhoused residents across the Concho Valley. The initiative expands on CVCAA’s existing monthly “Navigation Day” model, transforming it into a permanent, daily operation providing shelter, case management, healthcare, job training, and other essential resources.

Concho Valley Rock Rose Community Campus

Concho Valley Rock Rose Community Campus

“This is more than a resolution — it’s a call to action,” said CVCAA Executive Director Mike Burnett. He described the proposed Rock Rose Community Campus as a secure and service-based facility rooted in community dignity, opportunity, and the belief that poverty is unacceptable.

Council members praised the years-long effort led by CVCAA and more than 30 nonprofit and faith-based partners. Mayor Tom Thompson, Councilmembers Karen Hesse Smith and Tommy Hiebert, and city staff all emphasized the expected long-term impact, both on the city’s budget and on community well-being.

The campus will feature a publicly accessible service center, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, a food distribution warehouse, green space, and facilities designed in coordination with the city’s fire marshal and police department to ensure safety. According to Burnett, the development is expected to serve between 12,000 and 14,000 people annually.

Funding for the estimated $27 to $30 million project will come from private donations, foundations, and state and federal grant programs. No city bond money or taxpayer funding is being used.

“In our end, this partnership really helps these individuals, but it also helps the city to reduce its cost and make sure that we’re providing the essential services to our citizens that actually go away when we have to pull staff from certain areas to come and help out," said City Manager Daniel Valenzuela. 

Supporters from the Concho Valley Food Bank, Galilee CDC, and Rush Street Ministries echoed their endorsement during public comment, calling the project both essential and overdue.

CVCAA and its partners plan to break ground in phases as funding is secured, with construction expected to begin quickly once initial fundraising goals are met.

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