Partial camping ban
The Austin City Council is set to reintroduce partial public camping bans today. Michele Steeb, with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, says the so-called HEAL resolution or the Homeless Encampment Assistance Link is actually a pretty good first step.
“And then we need to start to enforce it. And that’s going to take a lot of different people helping the homeless understand what the new rules are and where they can be and where they can’t be,” says Steeb.
That’s where Steeb is critical of the city, because officials have already said the camping bans will not be enforced through policing or with fines. And because of that, ultimately, Steeb believes the HEAL resolution will not work.
The petition submitted by local nonprofit Save Austin Now to get the camping ban rescinded has been certified by the City of Austin. 20,000 signatures are needed to get the issue on the ballot this May. City Clerk Jannette Goodall says 26,103 signatures have been validated.
Candlewood Suites homeless hotel update
On the eve of Austin’s vote to purchase the Candlewood Suites Hotel for homeless housing which will happen today, residents and business owners have rallied together again to call on the city to postpone. Similar to what Williamson County commissioners have expressed this week, protesters say the city snuck this in quickly without transparency. Bianca Rodriguez talked to CBS Austin.
“Let’s fund something that’s in the non residential area that’s actually going to provide mental health rehabilitation services for these individuals,” Rodriguez says.
Almost 2,500 people have signed an online petition in opposition. But despite the push back, the plan does appear to have plenty of support on the City Council dias.
Georgetown State Senator Charles Schwertner is wading into this debate over the Candlewood Suites hotel. He tells FOX 7 the Austin City Council is not addressing homelessness properly and should not be shipping its problems upto Williamson County.
“I’m gonna get my colleagues on both sides of the chamber. I’ve already spoken to leadership, and this is a real issue down here now” Schwertner says.
He, too, was blindsided by the city’s plan only a few days ago, and he’s filing a bill that would force cities and counties to provide proper notification to the community prior to decisions like this.
COVID-19 update
COVID hospitalizations in Travis County have continued to fall for days, and as of this morning, the county is finally dropped back below the 500 mark for total hospitalizations. But only just 499 people are hospitalized. Active cases still heading in the right direction, with 5,008 reported today. That’s down by 140 over the past day. Overall, 70,631 cases confirmed with just under 65,000 recoveries.
UK COVID variant
The UK variant of COVID-19 has officially been found in Austin. Austin Public Health confirms the more infectious version of the coronavirus has been found in an Austin Travis County patient. Officials say the test was performed at a private testing facility. They had medical staff believe the UK variant of the virus has long been in the area. Following reports last month of the Harris County man with no travel history contracting the UK COVID variant. Austin Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott says he understands the current COVID vaccine is effective to the COVID variants.
Second vaccine dose
Thousands of people in Austin are about to become due for their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Austin Public Health is not allowing people to make an appointment for a second shot until more arrive from the state. Austin Mayor Steve Adler says those people will be notified.
“We’re hoping to get people around the 28th day that they got the first vaccine. But the studies indicate that you could get it 30-60 days after that and still maintain effectiveness,” says Adler.
Austin Public Health hopes to be able to notify people about a second dose no more than a week after that 28 day benchmark.
New forensics lab
Austin City Council today will also vote on forming a new forensics lab independent from the Police Department. Despite disagreeing with many of the council’s policing decisions, Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday tells KVUE this really does make sense.
“I feel like it should have been done years ago. It gives a third eye, not a police eye, to the evidence being examined,” Casaday says.
Casaday says saving evidence looked at by a neutral third party is something he very much supports. The city plans to use $12 million that has been reallocated from the APD budget.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-2-4-21
