AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Just days before Austin will reinstate a ban on public camping approved by voters Saturday, the Austin City Council will consider on Thursday moving towards the path of designating temporary encampment sites on public land.
The draft resolution, sponsored by Council Member Kathie Tovo and co-sponsored by council members Ann Kitchen, Alison Alter, and Sabino "Pio" Renteria along with Mayor Steve Adler, would call on City Manager Spencer Cronk and Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Grey to report back to the council by May 14 on best practices for operating temporary designated encampment sites.
The resolution says the temporary designated campsites "could offer health and safety benefits to individuals currently living unsheltered while the City and its partners continue the work of developing additional permanent housing solutions."
Voters on Saturday approved a measure to reinstate the city's camping ban, which was repealed by council in 2019 after being in place for 23 years. The ordinance, which is set to go into effect on May 11 when the election results are certified, prohibits camping "in any public area not designated by the Parks and Recreation Department."
The draft resolution would also call on Cronk to provide the council "a description of and budget for appropriate infrastructure" at the sites, provide criteria for identifying possible locations, and name any sites that meet the specified criteria.
By June 1, Cronk would need to present to the council a proposed schedule, budget, and possible community partners that could help the city implement "multiple temporary designated campgrounds around the city."
By July 1, the draft resolution calls for Cronk to identify publicly-owned land or land within the city limits "owned by other intergovernmental entities or willing 133 community partners that could accommodate tiny home structures to serve as 134 temporary housing," along with estimated costs for individual units and supportive infrastructure.
