Austin experienced an economic downturn in 1986 that ultimately led to an increase in the homeless population “as people lost their jobs or were evicted” from their homes. Because these people additionally had a decreased access to healthcare because of their financial situations, the Health and Human Services Department began to develop programs in order to fill “some of the gaps in service,” coordinating with existing services and agencies to identify issues and provide recommendations for change. They determined three assessments of the homeless population in Austin, Texas.