After the city voted to ban encampments in the Texas capital, more churches see advocacy, lobbying, and government partnerships as part of their outreach.
Tuesday was the first day in nearly two years with a ban in place on camping in public spaces, meaning anyone living anywhere without a roof over their head was probably doing so unlawfully.
The camping ban under Proposition B, which was approved in a citywide vote May 1, can eventually lead to citations, forced removal of tents and, if necessary, arrests.
But the answer on Tuesday was no: No one was forcing anyone out just yet.
In a phased enforcement strategy aimed at executing the will of the voters but in a deliberate and compassionate way, city staffers said they will spend the next four weeks educating the homeless population on the new laws rather than taking punitive action.
If you live in Hays County, you can call the county s election office at 512-393-7310 or email elections@co.hays.tx.us to see if you re eligible to vote on Prop B. You can find more information on the county s elections site.
If Prop B passes, when would these changes take effect?
If Prop B passes, the ordinances would go into effect as soon as the election results are certified. Usually this takes a couple days, as the county clerks have to certify every single ballot cast in early voting and on Election Day, as well as mail-in and absentee ballots.
The Austin City Council is poised to ban camping in four areas of the city that have been overtaken by people experiencing homelessness – but will try to make it happen without any of the tools typically used to enforce such a ban.
In a watered-down amendment to a heftier proposal to get people off the streets and into supportive housing, Council Member Ann Kitchen made clear Tuesday that policing and citations are no longer on the table as potential punishments for disobeying the ban.
The removal of potential legal consequences represented a shift by Kitchen and five council members who co-sponsored her plan. Kitchen unveiled it last month to mixed reviews, with community members saying they are weary over the city s growing crisis and activists saying it s cruel to punish someone on the basis they cannot afford a home and have to sleep outside.