Austin voters are now getting their say at the ballot box on the city's controversial policies on homeless camping.
Proposition B takes center stage in Saturday's city election, giving residents the voice they did not have two years ago when the Austin City Council made it lawful to camp in most public spaces by canceling a 23-year-old ordinance that had prohibited it.
If approved, Proposition B could eliminate the growing number of tent encampments in high-traffic areas by reinstating criminal penalties and forcing the unsheltered residents to find somewhere else to stay. The city and partnering organizations have initiated short-term and long-term plans to increase the inventory of available shelter and housing options for people experiencing homelessness. For now, however, they do not have nearly enough to offer one to everyone in need.