With the passage of Proposition B earlier this month, Austin residents voted to reinstate local laws establishing prohibitions against sitting, resting and camping in public in certain parts of the city. Opponents of the proposition argued that in addition to having a disparate impact on the city’s homeless population, the laws would further stigmatize and worsen […]
homelessness
Posted inPublic Safety
City leaders, Austin police say arrests will be a ‘last resort’ as enforcement of homelessness ordinances resumes
It’s illegal – once again – for people experiencing homelessness to set up encampments throughout most of the city. Sitting or lying down in some stretches of Austin and panhandling at night are also against the law after voters this month approved a proposition to reinstate criminal penalties for those activities. While those laws are officially […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Austin won’t make arrests during first phase of reinstating rules related to homelessness
After voters passed Proposition B on May 1, Austin is reinstating rules that ban homeless encampments on public land, prohibit sitting or lying down in parts of the city, and place a nighttime curfew on panhandling. While those rules go into effect Tuesday, the city said enforcement would be phased in. In an announcement Monday, the city […]
Posted inCity Council
Council commits to designated campsites, approves more funds for housing
City Council ramped up its fight against homelessness Thursday, passing a resolution to set up temporary designated campsites for people experiencing homelessness and authorizing new funds to homeless service providers for housing. The passage of Prop B, which reinstates bans on public camping and other behaviors linked to homelessness, along with the likelihood of a […]
Posted inHousing
On the heels of Prop B, housing committee supports rehousing 3,000 people in 3 years
The Housing and Planning Committee on Monday supported the main goal of Austin’s recent homelessness summit – rehousing 3,000 people experiencing homelessness within three years. The committee voted unanimously to recommend City Council approve a resolution turning the goal, created by community groups attending the summit, into official city policy. Council will vote on the resolution […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Austin voters approve reinstating bans on camping, resting and panhandling
Lee esta historia en español. Austin has voted to reinstate criminal penalties for behavior related to homelessness. With its passage, Proposition B will restore the city’s previous ban on public encampments, prohibition of resting in certain areas and limitations on panhandling. The citizen-led measure passed handily by a 15-point margin. The measure fueled an unusually […]
Posted inAustin
Austin’s village of tiny homes for formerly homeless folks to triple in size
The nonprofit that runs Austin’s Community First Village has acquired land and plans to build out more tiny homes to house Austinites transitioning out of homelessness. The far East Austin development of tiny homes and trailers, managed by Mobile Loaves and Fishes, houses 221 formerly chronically homeless people. The expansion could add space for at […]
Posted inCity Council
Council stresses need for cooperation in forming strategic plan for homelessness
After hearing the results of a follow-up audit related to the city’s efforts to help the homeless, Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Leslie Pool both stressed the need for other segments of the community to get involved in resolving Austin’s homelessness problem. They made their remarks at last week’s meeting of City Council’s Audit […]
Posted inCity Council
Council floats spending ‘huge’ portion of American Rescue Plan funds to solve homelessness
City Council hopes that solving homelessness – the city’s biggest priority – may finally be within reach thanks to President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package. Council members spoke effusively at Tuesday’s work session about the “transformational” change possible if the city concentrates its portion of the American Rescue Plan – $195.8 million – on solving key […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council changes camping ban ballot language
The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that City Council must change the language it used to describe Save Austin Now’s ballot proposition reinstating the ban on homeless camping and the prohibition on panhandling after dark. Council, which was meeting in work session when the ruling came down, complied with the court’s order by making a […]
Posted inTravis County
County wants permanent supportive housing – but first, where’s the money?
The Commissioners Court fielded statements from county executives Tuesday regarding a negotiation to fund hundreds of units of permanent supportive housing. Justice and Public Safety Executive Roger Jefferies spoke, as well as Health and Human Services Executive Sherri Fleming. The proposal, Jefferies explained, was nothing new. In 2016, the Commissioners Court OK’d a similar collaboration between […]
Posted inCourts
Court rejects bid to overturn ballot language
Today’s City Council agenda contains resolutions and emergency ordinances waiving fees and regulations to help Austinites deal with the aftermath of prolonged freezing temperatures and the loss of power and water. The final item on the agenda is entirely different. Item 7 would allow Council to rewrite ballot language on the May 1 ballot for […]