AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A new group of community advocates and leaders are aiming to come up with solutions to solve Austin's homelessness challenges.
A weeks-long "Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin" kicked off Tuesday, aiming to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy and schedule to address and significantly reduce unsheltered homelessness.
“Austin must take bold and immediate next steps to address homelessness," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a statement. "Much work has already been done and yet there’s still much to do and to do better. We’re coming together to forge a new path to combat homelessness — one that doesn’t force our homeless population into unsafe places or to fend for themselves. We have experts and advocates together to develop a holistic strategy and long-term solution to address the needs of Austin. There is nothing we cannot accomplish together.”
The new coalition, which includes members from the Downtown Austin Alliance and Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), Homes Not Handcuffs, the Austin Justice Coalition, city leaders, faith-based organizations, and more, aims to develop a new path forward through the weeks-long interactive and multi-part virtual summit.
The summit comes as members of the Austin City Council and other local leaders are considering how to spend federal COVID-19 relief funds from the recently passed American Rescue Plan.
"What would happen if we were able to actually put the resources necessary to effect the five-year plan to end homelessness in our community,” Adler said during Tuesday's Council work session, “and to begin to move all of the people in campsites... into permanent supportive housing?”
The City of Austin is set to receive just over $195 million from the federal relief package, with Travis County slated for roughly $247 million.
Adler floated the idea of putting a "huge component" of the dollars towards homelessness. “Maybe it’s $200 million or $250 million, or whatever it is," Adler said - with the city and county combining resources, then working to court big donors from the community, saying “government is willing to put a real significant sum against this challenge, will you meet us on a similar scale?”
Council will vote on a resolution Thursday aiming to give city staff direction on how to spend the relief dollars.
