Almost two years ago, the City of Austin began its experiment in widespread public homeless camping — and on Tuesday it will end.
After nearly two years of relaxed public camping laws, voters in the City of Austin elected to reinstate the public camping ban.
The City of Austin has enacted significant reforms to policing and public safety since 2017 including a massive budget cut and redirection for its police department.
The group behind the effort submitted over 26,000 valid signatures in only 50 days.
The divide between Texas' top Republican and the party's chairman continues after Allen West joined a protest against Abbott's executive orders closing Texas' economy.
Pending further challenge, voters will not be able to cast a ballot on a potential reinstatement of the homeless camping and lying ban on the November ballot.
The new facial covering requirement, from which the homeless are currently exempted, extends through May 8.
Members of The Texan's reporting team discuss the homelessness crisis in Austin with Matt Mackowiak, the President of Potomac Strategy Group, Chairman of the Travis County Republican Party, and, most recently, the founder of Save Austin Now.
The ballot initiative effort would circumvent the city council's actions on homeless camping/lying restrictions.
The city has been in disarray since camping and lying were permitted in public places on July 1 resulting in near-daily examples of health and safety concerns.
The Austin City Council will consider a resolution clarifying the camping ordinance on October 17, but residents are as divided as ever on the growing homelessness crisis.
Austinites showed up in droves to hear community leaders discuss the city's approach to homelessness after the July 1 rule change.
Sen. Pete Flores will find himself under heavy fire in 2020 as Democrats try and reclaim the seat they lost during a special election.
