- Members of Austin City Council are proposing an ordinance disallowing homeless camping in areas deemed unsafe, or posing a risk to public health and safety.
- Council members Kathie Tovo, Ann Kitchen, Alison Alter, and Leslie Pool released a letter Tuesday containing this proposal and a call to action on the homeless crisis in Austin.
- As part of the letter, Council member Pool states “Austin has always been a compassionate and welcoming city, and my hope is that we can reach agreement across the dais that restores our civic equilibrium.”
- City Council previously allowed camping and panhandling in public spaces, which has become a controversial topic among Austin residents.
- Areas considered “unsafe” for camping will include sidewalks, traffic medians, sloped underpasses, and areas around emergency shelters as well as creeks, riverbeds, and high fire risk areas.
- The proposed ordinance would work with Council member Tovo’s proposal of an Encampment Response strategy to use non-criminal law enforcement measures to relocate and help connect homeless in high priority areas with housing.
More info: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-city-council-members-say-i…
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