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Austin's Homelessness Advisory Committee Gives a Voice to Individuals

Posted by Beth Unite · July 31, 2019

It’s no secret that Austin has been trying to increase their effort towards helping homeless individuals get off the street and to a better place in their lives. Homelessness in Austin is an increasingly pressing issue, and in 2018 there were approximately 2,147 homeless people living in the city, and increase by more than 100 people from the year before.

Austin has been trying to address the homelessness issue in Austin for years with lackluster results, not for the lack of trying. The city is now shifting their focus away from managing the issue, and are focusing more on solving it, which is where the Austin Homelessness Advisory Group is showing to be an integral part to that effort.

Good News and Bad News for Austin's Homeless

Posted by Beth Unite · June 26, 2019

On Thursday, June 20^th the City of Austin approved an ordinance that would amend the city’s codes on camping in public areas, solicitation, sitting or lying down on public sidewalks and camping in downtown Austin.

Under the new ordinance, according to KXAN, the Austin Police Department will not be allowed to give our tickets or arrest homeless individuals who are soliciting, camping, sitting or lying in a public space in Austin unless they are causing a public health or safety hazard. An offense would only qualify for an arrest or ticket if they’re endangering the health and safety someone else or if they’re “intentionally making a public area impassable or unsable”.

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New East Austin Apartment Complex To Help Address Homelessness Issue

Posted by Chris Ornelas · June 20, 2019

In what is expected to be the very first project in Central Texas designed to help address the area's homelessness issue, a brand new apartment complex that will be constructed in East Austin will provide housing to individuals who are currently experiencing issues that include not only homelessness, but also situations related to substance abuse and mental illness.

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City of Austin is Cleaning Out Homeless Communities

Posted by Beth Unite · May 16, 2019

The Public Works Department for the City of Austin is working on cleaning up debris under various overpasses throughout Austin, including areas where homeless individuals have created small communities and camps. According to Fox 7 Austin, “the city said, while they work to find additional shelter options, protecting health and safety in those areas is a priority.”

Youth and Veteran Homelessness Numbers Down In Austin

Posted by Beth Unite · April 23, 2019

Homelessness is a known humanitarian issue in Austin, and according to the numbers, there’s some good news and some bad news regarding the battle to decrease the number of homeless individuals in the Texas capitol city.

The good news is that, according to KVUE ABC, there was an overall 25% reduction in youth homelessness, and a decrease in homeless veterans in Austin between 2018 and 2019.

The city of Austin began a program in 2017 with LifeWorks to help lower the number of homeless youth on the streets, and that program appears to be working.