A Beacon Hill home built in 1910 and recently listed for $595,000 has a rich history, including serving as a shelter for women experiencing homelessness.
In 1985, Sisters Neomi Hayes and Yolanda Tarongo of Charity of the Incarnate Word purchased the then-rundown mansion with a loan from their congregation and converted it into a shelter for women and children.
The shelter was named Visitation House after the Gospel narrative in which Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth in her time of need. That’s Luke 1:39-56 for those of you with a Bible handy.
But, over time, the Sisters realized their model needed to change, according to the Visitation House website.
“After several years, it became clear to the Sisters that temporary shelter offered only a band-aid solution because it did not bring about real change. It did NOT affect the root cause of the families’ homelessness — poverty.”
The shelter converted to transitional supportive housing for women and children in 1993, providing additional stability and resources such as job training, education and financial literacy. The Sisters also lived onsite and had their headquarters there.
In 2020, the Sisters sold the Beacon Hill property to private buyers, who are now putting it back on the market as a single-family home with six bedrooms, three bathrooms and two offices.
As both a blessing and a curse, the property has undergone minimal updates. That means much of its historic charm is intact, but the next buyer has work ahead to restore the property to its Edwardian-era glory.
This home is listed by Stephanie Jewett Paxton with Phyllis Browning Company.
All photos and listing info via Realtor.com.
Every house has a story, and our mission is to tell San Antonio’s story through the lens of our community’s historic and colorful homes. The San Antonio Current’s real estate features are not ads, and are strictly operated through our editorial department. But we love public input. Do you know of a unique San Antonio home that we should highlight? Let us know, and email skoithan@sacurrent.com.
