Austin LGBTQIA+ Nonprofit OutYouth Breaks Ground on New Youth Center
OutYouth broke ground October 6 on a new Blue Bungalow at 909 E. 49th ½ St. in Austin. The center will replace the longtime home of its programs for LGBTQIA+ young people after extensive water damage. OutYouth has used the bungalow since 1998, initially for after-school programs. It began planning an update in late 2022, before the water damage, as demand for services grew. The nonprofit is seeking $1.3 million for construction through its larger $3.52 million Dream Campaign. The planned 4,500-square-foot center will be more than twice the size of the original 1,700-square-foot bungalow. OutYouth says the space will let it hire more counselors and social workers, see more individual therapy clients, and offer drop-in and youth programs five days a week. It projects its youth programs could reach 5,500 young people annually, up from 1,377 in 2025. Plans include seven therapy offices, a drop-in center, a media arts lab, a library, a kitchen and pantry, and a secure-entry lobby. An elevator, an accessible ramp and features intended to improve comfort for neurodivergent clients are also planned. Donations will help establish a maintenance endowment. OutYouth’s therapy waitlist is often at least 40 clients long, and some young people wait eight to nine months for care.
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