From CM Kitchen - Updates to proposals to address homelessness

Dear Neighbors,

My colleagues and I continue to work diligently to address the fundamental issue of homelessness, namely services and housing options for people currently living unsheltered throughout our city. At the same time, we are being attentive to the real impacts of people living without basic resources on our city streets. The proposed resolutions and proposed ordinance changes being discussed today and to be voted on Friday will hope to strike a balanced but impactful approach to these issues.

This proposed approach will directly affect areas of South Austin including:

• Prioritizing the encampments under the Ben White Blvd overpass from Lamar Blvd to Manchaca Rd for the Encampment Response Strategy outlined in the CM Tovo proposed resolution;

• Identifying medians and traffic islands as unsafe and prohibited for camping in the proposed ordinance, including the medians at the intersection of Manchaca Rd and Ben White Blvd;

• Prohibiting camping within the area of the South Austin Housing Center from Manchaca Rd to South 1st St, Lightsey Rd to Redd St/W St. Elmo Rd in the proposed ordinance (once it is open for operations).

The proposed Encampment Response Strategy is to immediately utilize outreach teams to assess the needs of individuals living in the encampments and, if appropriate, connect them to services and housing.

The changes to the camping ordinance establish and phases in restrictions for three categories of places that pose public health and/or safety hazards, or that obstruct access to public space.

The phased-in approach provides housing and services to individuals first before enforcing prohibitions —except where there is an imminent or serious public health or safety threat or an unreasonable impeding of public space.

We as a community share the goal of ending homelessness by connecting individuals experiencing homelessness to services and housing. To realistically achieve that goal, we must both dedicate the resources necessary and work together as quickly as possible in a focused, effective way. Our community also shares the value of health and safety for all of our residents. We have the opportunity to end the need to live outside and to align our homelessness ordinances with this goal.

View the full proposed ordinance phased approach here. http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincouncilforum/85-20190917135357.pdf

View the full proposed resolution here. http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincouncilforum/B5-20190918121308.pdf

Today’s hearing begins the discussion with the community and Council with the goal of taking a final vote on Friday. Best Regards, Ann Kitchen City Council, District 5