From CM Kitchen - Special Called Council Meeting Wednesday

Public Comment on Safe Camping Ordinances

Dear Neighbors,

I want to remind you that City Council meets this week Wednesday, September 18 to discuss the rules on camping in public areas and other related issues to address homelessness in our community. In June the Council voted to support the Mayor's resolution #184. One of the next steps in that resolution is to discuss reasonable time and place opportunities and limitations on camping, sitting, and lying.

Public comment on these items will be heard immediately after Council Work Session that starts at 1:00pm and will continue until all speakers have been heard. You can see the Council Agenda here. http://www.austintexas.gov/department/city-council/2019/20190918-spec.htm

My colleagues and I are proposing measures that clarify and further define the standards set in June - which relate to endangerment, hazards, and obstructions.

We recognize that there are places where camping should be prohibited such as the medians and traffic islands under the Ben White overpass at Manchaca Rd.

The City Council has the responsibility to ensure that the people of Austin including those living unsheltered are living in safer places. Making the public spaces safe, making access to transit non-confrontational, and moving people off the street and into services that can help break the cycle of homelessness is a constructive way forward.

We know that these Council actions are only a step in what will need to be a long term strategy to end homelessness.

Let’s work together as a community to end homelessness. All of us on Council are committed to the same thing - the solution to homelessness is housing.

We want to hear from the community on these ideas and if you have comments to provide, please contact your D5 office. I am hopeful we can have a constructive, solution-oriented conversation on Wednesday that respects everyone's perspective.

Best Regards,

Ann Kitchen

City Council, District 5

Mayor's resolution #184 - https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/cfm?id=322760