In the middle of rising housing costs, increasing homelessness, and federal uncertainty, it’s easy for agencies to feel paralyzed—caught between overextended staff and overwhelming need. 

But in Amarillo, Texas, something different is happening. 

At the heart of this innovation is Transformation Park, a public-private, city-nonprofit partnership built not just to reduce homelessness—but to actually change lives. 

And it’s working.

From Enforcement to Empowerment 

Jason Riddlespurger, Director of Community Development for the City of Amarillo, didn’t start in housing. He started in law enforcement. After years of being called to move people off public property without offering any real solution, he began asking deeper questions: Why aren’t the services we have being used? What’s missing? What would it take to build something better? 

His answer? A new kind of collaboration. One built on low-barrier access, stable infrastructure, wraparound services, and relational trust.

A Model Built on Partnership, Not Pressure 

Transformation Park isn’t run by the city—but the city owns the land, covers the utilities, manages the IT, and leases the space to the nonprofit for just $10 a year. The goal? Free nonprofits from the burden of survival so they can focus on serving people. 

• The city provides infrastructure. 
• The nonprofit delivers programs. 
• The community provides volunteers. 

Together, they’re creating safety, dignity, and pathways to permanent housing.

Housing with Dignity, Not Shame 

Unlike traditional shelter models with high entry barriers, Transformation Park begins with a safe space—a welcoming zone where people don’t need ID, sobriety, or to give up pets or partners. From there, those who are ready can transition into small, private cabins and, eventually, into permanent housing via the Housing Choice Voucher program. 

This model honors each person’s journey. It says: You are not a problem to be solved. You are a person worth investing in. 

Results That Speak for Themselves 

It’s still early, but the stories are already emerging. One woman, previously homeless and pregnant, entered through Amarillo’s Coming Home program. Today, she’s clean, employed by the city’s grant department, raising her child, and preparing to earn her degree in social work. She’s not just a success story—she’s now part of the team transforming others’ lives. 

What Makes This Work 

There’s a key takeaway here for other cities, PHAs, and nonprofits: Partnership creates possibility.

Amarillo didn’t wait for perfect conditions or complete clarity from HUD. They took a risk. They brought stakeholders to the table. They built something—with faith, intention, and collaboration. 

As Jason put it: 

“Doing nothing is the worst thing you can do… even if it’s just dipping your toe in the water.” 

A Better Path Forward 

In a moment when many agencies feel pressure to perform under HUD scrutiny, Transformation Park offers a different lens: performance through partnership. Compliance is important. But what if we measured success by the number of lives transformed—not just the boxes checked? 

This is how you turn services into solutions.
This is how you make funding produce fruit.
This is what it looks like to stop managing homelessness—and start ending it.