AUSTIN – Austin City Council endorsed a plan aimed at ending homelessness in the city. The vote comes as a new report shows homelessness is up five percent from last year.
It was a unanimous decision at City Hall on Thursday for the city to stand behind Austin’s Action Plan to End Homelessness.
Before the vote, several departments and community members put together a presentation for council members. The presentation focused on the need for more housing and the importance of people having a sense of purpose through a job.
Austin police officers also spoke before council members. They said they are having to clean up homeless camps, but when people ask, "where should they go instead?” they said they don't have a good answer for them.
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A spokesperson for the neighborhood housing department showed a map of where people are experiencing homelessness and that's mainly near bus lines and parks.
Gregory Williams, who was formerly homeless, went up to the podium and said he has since found help through Caritas, a program that provides housing to those in need.
He said what people need are more resources.
“People need more resources as far as bus passes, as far as being let known that they are cared about, as far as basic help in general ... they feel like society has thrown them away due to drug addiction or due to mental illness,” said Williams.
Several community members also asked city council members to repeal ordinances that they said criminalize homelessness, such as no camping and "No Sit/No Lie."
One council member responded and said he recognized that those ordinances didn’t help reduce homelessness.