[ad_1]
(The Center Square) – Save Austin Now and four companies are suing the city of Austin, claiming it is not fully implementing Proposition B, a measure passed overwhelmingly by voters to end public homeless camps in the state capital.
The group battled City Hall for two years after the Democrat-led city council repealed an existing law banning public camps, causing tent cities to appear on sidewalks across Austin. A growing homeless population lived in public parks and near schools and playgrounds, in addition to places under overpasses and near highways.
The group’s bipartisan civic movement and petition campaign eventually led to a May 1 election in which voters supported the elimination of homeless camps.
Proposition B makes it a criminal offense to sit or lie on downtown sidewalks, camp in public areas, or solicit or aggressively solicit money or other valuables at certain times and locations in Austin. The crime is a Class C misdemeanor and carries a fine of up to $ 500.
After the election proposal was passed, homeless camps were not immediately removed. Instead, the city said it was implementing a plan in phases over a 90-day window. The final of four phases began on Aug. 8, when Austin Police Department (APD) officers issued subpoenas and arrested those who break camping rules who do not voluntarily go.
The city conditions, “As of May 11, Austin Police Department officials have visited more than 605 homeless people in camps and other areas across Austin. The officers issued 572 written warnings and 24 quotations. So far there have been no arrests related to the camping ban. Officials have connected more than 124 people to social support services, including referrals for 34 veterans. “
She adds that her approach is “responsible and humane”.
But Matt Mackowiak, co-founder of Save Austin Now, said in a press release, “There’s no denying that Prop B is not fully enforced,” and homelessness is still a big issue in Austin.
The group had also previously looked at how the city managed tens of millions of dollars in funds to combat homelessness.
“Taxpayers deserve to know how US $ 160 million was spent in fiscal years 2018-2020 and what we have to show for it,” Mackowiak said in June. “Because it appears that a large amount of the money has been spent on waste and, despite massive investments, few new homeless homes have been made available.”
More than 2,000 people are still waiting for alternative housing options out of town, “after more than two years and at least $ 161 million spent,” he added. Austin NPR puts that number at more than 3,000, adding that the city’s efforts to find housing in the short term have not helped to get most of the people off the streets.
The lawsuit, filed in Travis County District Court, is asking the court to require the city to fully enforce the public camping ban and remove all homeless tents and camps.
The four Austin business owners who join the lawsuit say they suffered financial damage because the city does not fully enforce the ordinance. These include Laura North of Headspace Salon and Co-op; Stuart Dupuy of Balance Dance Studios; Robert Mayfield, owner of three Dairy Queen franchises; and Bob Woody, owner of the Buckshot Bar.
According to the lawsuit, the companies have “made significant investments to protect their property, their customers and their customers.”
City spokesman Andy Tate said in a statement that city officials “have received this lawsuit and completely oppose its premise.”
The city also notes that its phased approach is only focusing on homeless camps that existed before the new regulation went into effect on May 11, 2021. Homeless people who set up new camps after this date must be promptly notified of violations and enforcement action taken. if necessary, says the city.
It adds that several agencies are involved in solving the homeless problem, including Austin Resource Recovery, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and Watershed Protection. The agencies regularly carry out scheduled clean-up work on underpasses, parks and streams.
Her teams “find many abandoned warehouses that will allow them to finally clean up the public spaces,” adds the city. “These ongoing efforts are independent of activities related to the implementation of the Camping Regulations.”
[ad_2]
