AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Crews could be seen working to clear an area outside Austin City Hall Monday morning, part of an encampment where a number of tents and protesters have been since early last month.
City officials, in a statement Monday morning, said the area at the corner of Guadalupe and Cesar Chavez has been designated for construction.
The move comes on just the second day of the second phase of the city's plan to re-implement a ban on public camping. Phase 2 of City Manager Spencer Cronk's plan, which runs from June 13 to July 10, calls for police to begin issuing written warnings and possible citations to those who have already been warned.
City officials say members of the city's Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) and Austin Police representatives have been meeting with the people who have been camping in the area outside City Hall. Individuals along the north side of City Hall are trespassing on private property and have also received previous requests to move.
On May 1, 58% of Austin voters passed an ordinance to re-implement the city's ban on public camping, as well as re-instate a sit-lie ordinance and ban aggressive panhandling in much of the downtown and University of Texas campus areas.
