CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin and Travis County
HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN All city libraries and recreation centers will now participate in the Safe Place hate crime response program following a council vote May 18. The move comes after a 2021 report found incidents of bias crimes are common in the LGBTQ community and may be severely underreported. Sta at relevant city facilities will soon be trained on procedures if hate crime victims seek assistance. AUSTIN City Council on June 8 voted to reboot the Austin Police Department’s vehicle-mounted license plate reader data collection program. The program will cost $114,000 in its rst year and could later be extended by city o cials. The technology will roll out with new guardrail policies in place. AUSTIN Leadership changes under interim City Manager Jesús Garza continued in June with his selection of a new Austin Energy general manager and the assignment of new department heads and other key sta positions. The moves follow other high-pro le changes made earlier this year. TRAVIS COUNTY A pilot program to divert people with mental illness accused of nonviolent crimes away from jail was unveiled June 5 as local leaders seek to launch a permanent mental health diversion center. The $6 million pilot was announced alongside a $2 million data-sharing program to ag those with mental illness histories.
Unhoused population grows; city shoring up shelter AUSTIN The local unhoused popula- tion is growing, spreading out from the city center and living in more secluded areas, likely as a result of the city’s 2-year-old ban on public camping. The BY KATY MCAFEE & BEN THOMPSON FOCUSING IN The Jan. 28 count served as a snapshot of the unhoused population on any given night. 33%
years old was the most common age group. 35 44
of people counted were veterans. 9.5%
of people were counted in parks and other green space—up from 5.2% in 2020. 13.6%
of homeless individuals were Black, despite making up 7.25% of Austin’s total population.
Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, a nonpro t the leading regional homelessness strategy, in May shared new insights about people experiencing homelessness around Austin based on a Jan. 28 point-in- time count—the rst in-person survey since the COVID-19 pandemic. Key ndings: The recent count found 2,374 homeless individuals, including 1,266 unsheltered. However, ECHO representatives said those totals may be undercounted. Separate ECHO data
SOURCE: ENDING COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS COALITION COMMUNITY IMPACT
suggests more than 4,600 people are living unsheltered with more than 5,455 total. Shelter strategy: City o cials in May announced a renewed push to build up local shelter capacity by: • Opening a temporary shelter at
a city warehouse in East Austin, adding up to 300 beds • Doubling capacity at two city bridge shelters, adding 130 beds • Leasing The Salvation Army’s downtown shelter following recent pushback over its permanent closure plans, maintaining 150 beds
Employees rally against in-person work policy
City ends South Terminal dispute for $88M
BY ELLE BENT
AUSTIN The city will pay $88 million to settle two lawsuits with Austin Bergstrom-International Airport’s South Terminal operator, clearing the way for a planned airport expansion. The settlement with LoneStar Airport Holdings LLC comes after Austin initially o ered $1.95 million to end the remain- der of the company’s 40-year lease at the terminal. LoneStar rejected that o er and later sued after Austin launched an eminent domain lawsuit. ABIA will take over the terminal this fall and it will operate until its removal in 2025, according to the airport.
BY KATY MCAFEE
Dozens of Austin employees rally at City Hall on June 1.
AUSTIN Dozens of city sta ers gathered June 1 to protest a new in-person work policy announced by interim City Manager Jesús Garza in May. City executives started working at the o ce ve days a week in June. Other employees will be required to be in the o ce three days a week starting Oct. 1. Employees said the change could a ect productivity and tra c congestion—especially
Austin City Council will meet July 18-19 at 9 a.m. and MEETINGS WE COVER
with more than 50% of sta ers estimated to be living outside city limits, according to a represen- tative with a labor union for city employees. Austin’s move is a public example of how one of the area’s largest employers is handling telework policy following pan- demic o ce closures.
July 20 and 26 at 10 a.m. 301 W. Second St., Austin www.austintexas.gov
Travis County Commissioners Court will meet June 29 and July 13 and 18 at 9 a.m. 700 Lavaca St., Austin. www.traviscountytx.gov/ commissioners-court
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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JUNE 2023
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