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At #atxcouncil CM Mackenzie Kelly says she wants to postpone purchasing a motel that would be converted into supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness in her district. She wants staff to spend more time talking to surrounding businesses about their concerns
CM Leslie Pool supports the postponement, but CM Greg Casar says he thinks Council can vote on the purchase this week. Kelly says not enough "meaningful" discussion has been had with surrounding community. She's asking for a week delay.
Council is set to lease the motel before purchasing it. The lease will cost the city about $700,000 and the purchase about $9.5 million.
CM Pio Renteria supports postponement as well. He references conversations he had with community after Council purchased the Rodeway Inn in his district last year. He said having those conversations before the purchase can be helpful. Sounds like the purchase will be postponed.
CM Kathie asks about "increasing" number of people camping on parkland.
New Homeless Strategy Officer, Dianna Grey, says "We have CDC guidelines suggest we not move encampments at present…we have largely been following those except in explicit dangers to health and safety."
New Homeless Strategy Officer, Dianna Grey, says "We have CDC guidelines suggest we not move encampments at present…we have largely been following those except in explicit dangers to health and safety."
Grey explains that encampments function like pods of housed people. Busting up camps could displace PEH with COVID, forcing them to move into other areas, accelerating spread of the virus.
PARD director Kimberley McNelly says her staff has talked to people camping on parks, but the problem is, where should they go?
"The fear is they might choose a place that is not the most appropriate location," McNelly tells Council, "and we would have to relocate them again."
"The fear is they might choose a place that is not the most appropriate location," McNelly tells Council, "and we would have to relocate them again."
Folks, based on the discussion at this first Council meeting of the year, I am not feeling confident about the direction some CMs are moving in on homelessness.
The conversation has been dominated by concerns about camping and not on producing more housing for people.
The conversation has been dominated by concerns about camping and not on producing more housing for people.
In a reversal from 2019 staff recommendations, Grey says she's open to creating sanctioned campgrounds for unhoused people.
"Nothing is off the table at present so long as we are respecting the rights of these neighbors and the intent is to provide housing," she says.
"Nothing is off the table at present so long as we are respecting the rights of these neighbors and the intent is to provide housing," she says.
Alter and Kitchen are pushing staff to explore, again, opening up sanctioned campgrounds
In 2019, Council directed staff to explore this option. Based on national research, staff said it would be a bad idea. Here's the staff memo on sanctioned encampments http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/pio/document.cfm?id=325465
In 2019, Council directed staff to explore this option. Based on national research, staff said it would be a bad idea. Here's the staff memo on sanctioned encampments http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/pio/document.cfm?id=325465
Alter says the city is in a "different" place w/r/t homelessness than in 2019. They might have been a bad idea then, but may work now.
Adler seems to agree, acknowledging that staff initially rejected the idea, but saying that more needs to be done on homelessness.
Adler seems to agree, acknowledging that staff initially rejected the idea, but saying that more needs to be done on homelessness.
Grey says a "homeless planning summit" will happen in February. She expects that the planning will revolve around building metrics to measure implementation of ECHO's 2018 Action Plan to End Homelessness.
Stuff like, # of new housing units, # of shelter beds, etc.
Stuff like, # of new housing units, # of shelter beds, etc.
In 2019 staff told Council that sanctioned camps only "make it look and feel" like homelessness is reduced, but by themselves have "little impact on reducing homelessness"
They only make people feel like they're working, because they effectively hide PEH from public view.
They only make people feel like they're working, because they effectively hide PEH from public view.
What changed between 2019 and now?
Is there new research that shows sanctioned campgrounds have more than an illusory effect on reducing homelessness?
or are CMs Alter, Kitchen, and others who support the idea buckling to pressure from people bothered by visible camps?
Is there new research that shows sanctioned campgrounds have more than an illusory effect on reducing homelessness?
or are CMs Alter, Kitchen, and others who support the idea buckling to pressure from people bothered by visible camps?
Renteria, CM Paige Ellis also voice support for sanctioned encampments.
Did Alter, Tovo, Ellis, Renteria and anyone else supporting this idea forget we are still in a pandemic?
The CDC recommends against big FEMA-like camps bc they can become hotspots for viral transmission.
Did Alter, Tovo, Ellis, Renteria and anyone else supporting this idea forget we are still in a pandemic?
The CDC recommends against big FEMA-like camps bc they can become hotspots for viral transmission.
I mean, that's only part of why experts believe they are a bad idea.
Remember, national research showed they were expensive and have little effect on reducing homelessness before we were even in a pandemic.
The pandemic just makes them an even worse idea.
Remember, national research showed they were expensive and have little effect on reducing homelessness before we were even in a pandemic.
The pandemic just makes them an even worse idea.
