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Homelessness Related Items on June 20 Agenda

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:03 pm
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

I had been asked by some stakeholder groups for more details on the Council’s actions related to homelessness and the impact of those actions on the tools available to police. I responded to those stakeholders with this document - http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 135058.pdf and wanted to share the document with my colleagues as well.

-s

Re: Homelessness Related Items on June 20 Agenda

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 4:04 pm
by Greg Casar
Colleagues:

Thank you to everyone for participating in a robust conversation two weeks ago regarding the ordinances related to homelessness. Also, thanks to the Mayor for the document above. Based on our conversation at Council and conversations in the community, we’ve posted updated ordinance language under Item 185. This is all still in line with the original intent: to no longer have laws criminalizing the mere status of being homeless-- instead our laws should focus on dangerous or unsafe behavior (regardless of economic status).

Item 185 on the June 20th agenda is different from the language posted several weeks ago in just a few ways:
-- The No Camping Ordinance has updated language from state law as the Mayor had suggested last week, and a notice requirement is added as exists in the other ordinances and as was suggested at the public hearing.
-- The Panhandling Ordinance is amended to address “Aggressive Confrontation.” The language is similar to what was passed out by the Mayor at the last Council meeting. While I believe this language is duplicative of state laws, passing this language could be useful for additional clarity to the community.
-- The No Sit/No Lie Ordinance has “findings” that are inaccurate at best, offensive at worst -- so these are removed. We’ve also strengthened the notice requirement, removed conflicting provisions, and included language from state law as the Mayor had suggested last week.

I hope to move this document as the base motion, so if you have amendments, please consider writing your amendments in relationship to this ordinance (and posting them here!).

Thanks,
-Greg

Re: Homelessness Related Items on June 20 Agenda

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 4:46 pm
by Greg Casar
Colleagues,

I would like to include the following additional direction with Item 185. I believe this will help us measure the results/impacts of changing the ordinances.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152236.pdf

Thanks,
Greg