Tag Archives: homelessness
Council plans hotel purchases for housing homeless, floats camping sites
At Monday’s work session, City Council members discussed purchasing two hotels in North Austin to secure more than 150 permanent supportive housing units for the homeless. Mayor Steve Adler urged Council to act to remedy what he called an “emergency…
City Council • By Jonathan Lee • Jan 26, 2021
Council proposes focus on four encampments in HEAL resolution
The city will focus on four encampments as the first phase of a plan to reduce the growing homeless population by providing housing and support services. The resolution, called the HEAL (Housing-Focused Homeless Encampment Assistance Link) Initiative and slated for the Feb.…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 25, 2021
The city is closing shelters it set up for homeless Austinites during Covid. Residents want to know when.
Last Wednesday, Helen Davis was in St. Louis, tired, sore and 825 miles from home without bus fare or a place to stay. As cars whizzed by, she wracked her brain, trying to think of an excuse – something to…
Housing • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 21, 2020
Travis County to create cohesive homelessness outreach plan
The Travis County Commissioners Court has created a new temporary project worker position tasked with developing a cohesive homeless outreach plan for the county, following a separate request by a county constable. In March, the Commissioners Court approved a census…
Travis County • By Savana Dunning • Oct 14, 2020
Council approves funding for isolation hotel
After a brief discussion about the need to continue the search for temporary and permanent housing for Austinites experiencing homelessness, City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the owner of the La Quinta Inn at 5812 N. Interstate 35 Thursday.…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Sep 4, 2020
Austin says group doesn't have signatures to put homelessness ordinances on the ballot in November
Austin’s city clerk says a group seeking to reinstate the city’s bans on sitting, camping or lying down in public doesn’t have the requisite 20,000 signatures to force a referendum on Election Day. Save Austin Now, led by Travis County…
Bonds & Propositions • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 6, 2020
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Study pushes city toward using data, results in plans to address homelessness
The city and organizations working to solve homelessness will adopt a more data-heavy approach to achieving the goals of the 2018 Action Plan to End Homelessness. The move to handle contracts for homeless services in a results-focused way is expected…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 3, 2020
Council OKs short contract to clean up homeless camps
Ten people signed up to tell Council on Wednesday they were opposed to awarding a three-year contract to Relief Enterprise of Texas Inc. for “removal of debris and cleanup services under bridge overpasses, under bridges, and in the transportation right…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jul 31, 2020
Group says it has enough signatures to put Austin's homelessness ordinances on the November ballot
A GOP-backed group says it’s collected enough signatures to put a reversal of the city’s homeless ordinances on the ballot in November. Save Austin Now, a coalition led by longtime strategist and Travis County GOP Chair Matt Mackowiak, announced Monday…
Bonds & Propositions • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jul 21, 2020
Housing department seeks to move unused home repair funds toward homelessness
The city will likely redirect a $2.6 million unused Community Development Block Grant intended for home repairs to create more housing for the homeless in the next budget year. Last week the Community Development Commission voted 9-2 to approve the…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 20, 2020
Austin sees 10-year high in the number of people experiencing homelessness
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Austin hit a 10-year high in 2020, according to a new report. Data from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition’s point-in-time count show that 2,506 people were homeless on the night of the annual…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • May 20, 2020
Salvation Army's downtown homeless shelter closes after positive tests; ARCH confirms first case
Salvation Army Austin’s downtown shelter was closed this weekend after 12 people tested positive for Covid-19. All 187 people staying at the shelter have been moved to a city-leased hotel. KUT has also confirmed the first case of Covid-19 at…
