Austin Mayor Steve Adler defends controversial homeless policy.
Homelessness and homeless camping remain a major issue in Austin despite the city’s voters’ overwhelming rejection of the permissive camping policy Mayor Steve Adler and the city council approved in 2019. That policy allowed nearly unfettered camping citywide, leading very quickly to tent cities popping up in medians, under overpasses, and on sidewalks in front of businesses all over the city.
The city council has approved the purchase of hotels to house homeless people over the past couple of years, and going by Thursday’s meeting agenda addendum it’s set to buy another one. See item 89.
Activists claim city camp map is example of Austin s racist policies
Activists claim city camp map is example of Austin s racist policies
Black leaders and community activists are voicing opposition to how many of the potential homeless campsites are located in East Austin.
AUSTIN, Texas - The historic Evergreen Cemetery in East Austin has been named one of 45 locations on a map released by the city of Austin that identifies possible locations for homeless encampments. Some of these places aren’t even a possibility, said Austin Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison.
On Monday morning, Harper-Madison joined a group of Black leaders and community activists voicing opposition to how many of the potential campsites are located in East Austin.
Stop Candlewood group to deliver community letters to Austin City Council advising against hotel purchase
Homeowners and businesses in the area have said that the decision to purchase the hotel was made without any warning to them. Author: KVUE News Staff Updated: 12:08 PM CDT May 4, 2021
AUSTIN, Texas With the Austin City Council set to discuss the purchase of the Candlewood Suites in Williamson County this week, opponents of the idea are rallying once again to advise councilmembers against it.
Leaders of the group Stop Candlewood Rupal Chaudhari and Fredi Cheng, along with other advocates, plan to drop off dozens of signed letters from concerned homeowners and businesses in the area to Mayor Steve Adler and the council on Tuesday.
Kelly: I think that people in the city of Austin didn t like, especially my district, didn t like the direction that the city was headed, which is what got me interested in running for office this time around. I think that homelessness, which was a big part of my campaign, and a lack of action on taking care of the people who are unsheltered, really resonated with my community. I think that we were headed in a poor direction with defunding the police. And, you know, there s always better ways to do things. But the defunding narrative was not laid out in a way that was well articulated to the community, much like our homeless situation. And now that I m on council, I see that there has been progress made, and some things do make sense as far as funding go. Like today, I talked with City Manager Spencer Cronk about how online communications is not going to be under APD. That makes sense administratively when one is police, fire, EMS and mental health. And so that s a good way to be eff