Government
City cleanup initiative ends after state sweeps A three-week city initiative to clear dozens of encampments ended Nov. 8 on the heels of a sep- arate state operation to remove homeless people from public areas in Austin. What happened Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state cleanup Oct. 21. The move surprised local officials, who said the city was not notified and labeled the operation as a “show of force.” “It’s not the way government ought to be working, especially when we’re talking about our most vulnerable Texans,” Mayor Kirk Watson said of the state operation. Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray said the Texas Department of Transportation regularly clears out encampments from state rights of way. However, TxDOT’s work hadn’t crossed over into city property and parkland until mid-October.
City OK’s Austin Energy, auditor hires Austin officials approved internal hires for two city leadership positions this fall. What happened National searches for a new Austin Energy general manager and city auditor launched this year after AE GM Bob Kahn’s retirement in the spring, and ahead of City Auditor Cor- rie Stokes’ planned departure in late 2025. City Manager T.C. Broadnax appointed former interim AE GM Stuart Reilly to that role on a full-time basis starting Nov. 2. Reilly, who has nearly 20 years of public utility experience, will now earn a $470,000 salary. City Council approved the hire of Deputy City Auditor Jason Hadavi to lead that office Nov. 6. The 20-year auditor’s office veteran will earn a $216,341 salary.
Encampment response
• 669 encampments cleaned • 1,212 people found at encampments
• 181 moved to shelters • 87 connected to services
• 1.35M pounds/ 673.86 tons of debris removed • 71 citations and 22 arrests
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Since then, multiple Austin departments coordinated to prioritize dozens of clean-ups and connect homeless residents with resources and shelter under the city-led program. It concluded Nov. 3-8 with a focus on “harder-to-reach” public land deeper in city greenbelts, parks, and nature preserves. What’s next City Council voted Nov. 6 to expand city-led outreach to those living on the streets and launch an encampment management dashboard.
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