Highland Lakes Crisis Network seeks to buy The Warehouse
The Warehouse at 800 Industrial Blvd. in Marble Falls offers low-priced and free furniture, appliances, housewares, and clothing to families in need. The Highland Lakes Crisis Network, which operates the community resources, is looking for help to buy the building. Staff photo by Nathan Bush
The Highland Lakes Crisis Network has until September 2024 to buy The Warehouse, a property at 800 Industrial Blvd. in Marble Falls that serves as an affordable furniture, housewares, and clothing “store” for families in need. The space also can be quickly transformed during disasters to provide shelter and other needs.
“We put money into fixing it and have seen the potential,” HLCN Executive Director Kevin Naumann said. “It’s important for us to have it locked in to have as an asset long term.”
The Crisis Network leased the building in 2022 with an option to buy within two years’ time. The price is about half of what it’s listed for on the Burnet Central Appraisal District rolls, according to Naumann.
“We can buy it outright for $700,000,” he told DailyTrib.com. “CAD has it appraised at $1.2 million. Even if we had to sell it in a few years, it’s still a good investment.”
The 12,000-square-foot building houses appliances, furniture, and clothes for people on the brink of homelessness or moving from being homeless to transitional housing. Prices are rock-bottom affordable, but sales still bring in enough income to pay the lease.
One option, Naumann said, is to raise $150,000 for a down payment then have a $5,000-a-month mortgage.
“It’s already generating $5,000 or more a month,” he continued. “Our overall goal is to get the organization to be self sufficient so we don’t have to rely on donations so much.”
The best-case scenario would be a donation that would allow the nonprofit to buy the building outright.
“We are putting the need out there,” Naumann said. “A lot of people ask us what are our basic needs. This is what we need.”
A recent email newsletter to donors outlined specific ways to support The Warehouse, from a big-dollar donation to volunteering a few hours a week.
Ways to help include:
- a Foundational Sponsorship of $50,000, $25,000, or $10,000 by the end of 2023;
- a monthly pledge beginning in 2024 of $1,000, $500, or $100;
- volunteering at The Warehouse on a weekly or monthly basis to help scale up hours, pick-up/deliver donations, or clean/sort materials;
- and a commitment to pray for this opportunity as it continues to develop.
“The Warehouse is much more than storage space,” Naumann said. “It is an outlet of bright blessing, calm ministry, love, and hope for the community every single day and reflects our simple vision to ‘Love God. Love people.’”