Changing Homeless Shelter COVID-19 Guidelines
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 3:47 pm
Colleagues,
Given the exciting progress Austin and Travis County have made in lowering our COVID-19 risk level to Stage 4, I would like to discuss potential changes to our city’s guidance on homeless shelter capacity.
Our city’s homeless residents need respite from the cold and other dangers of sleeping outside. While increased housing is, of course, the only long-term answer to homelessness, I believe we should be making the empty beds in our shelters available to those who desperately need them.
During the COVID-19 briefing from our Health Authority tomorrow, I plan to ask about the prospect of raising Austin’s shelter capacity and how we can begin planning to make resources available for that eventual increase. I hope we can start a discussion of this issue that will allow our city to better serve our homeless neighbors.
Saludos,
Chito
Given the exciting progress Austin and Travis County have made in lowering our COVID-19 risk level to Stage 4, I would like to discuss potential changes to our city’s guidance on homeless shelter capacity.
Our city’s homeless residents need respite from the cold and other dangers of sleeping outside. While increased housing is, of course, the only long-term answer to homelessness, I believe we should be making the empty beds in our shelters available to those who desperately need them.
During the COVID-19 briefing from our Health Authority tomorrow, I plan to ask about the prospect of raising Austin’s shelter capacity and how we can begin planning to make resources available for that eventual increase. I hope we can start a discussion of this issue that will allow our city to better serve our homeless neighbors.
Saludos,
Chito